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YOU CAN NOW BUILD YOUR OWN EXOSKELETON

OpenExo is a complete open-source exoskeleton framework from a university lab — hardware, electronics and control software, all released to build and research with.

by NAU Biomechatronics (naubiomech)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsMedical-devices

difficulty
●●●●●
time
a research project
license
not clearly specified (NOASSERTION)
repo
repo ACTIVE337 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
  • Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
  • Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
  • Soldering kit + basic tools — one-time buy, serves every future build

Partner

Reach your Pi from anywhere — Remote desktop to the machine running this build — no port forwarding, works right from the browser.Try Getscreen.me
Videos
1

COMPAREE VERDICT

This is the first open-source exoskeleton framework aimed at real research, and that's exactly what it is — powerful and demanding. It's not 'print a suit and walk'; it's a platform of hardware designs, electronics and control code you assemble and tune. If you're a robotics student, a lab, or a very serious builder, it's a goldmine — the kind of thing that used to be locked inside universities. For everyone else, it's a fascinating read about how human augmentation is going open. Respect the forces involved.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —Academic-grade framework — designed for research labs and serious builders, not a weekend kit
  • —License NOASSERTION — check the repo/paper terms before any commercial use

Can I build this?

Printstructural parts per the design — mixed FDM/machined
Buyactuators/motors, drivers, sensors, controller → BOM in repo
Toolsworkshop · electronics · mechanical assembly
Skillsrobotics/controls ✓✓ · this is advanced
Timea research project (weeks to months)
Costband $$$ — actuators dominate; current prices in repo BOM
Safetypowered actuators on a body frame — pinch and force hazards; test unpowered and on a bench first

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

A desktop 3D printer that prints in full colorPartner · Kickstarter
A desktop 3D printer that prints in full color

HeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.

See how it prints

Videos

OpenExo Trailer (TheOpenExo)0:56

Short official trailer. Full startup is a 5-part tutorial series — links below.

Gallery

Hardware overviewNAU Biomechatronics Lab
The exoskeleton in useNAU Biomechatronics Lab
Joint configurations (from the paper)NAU Biomechatronics Lab
The Python control GUInaubiomech

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the repo + associated paper (understand the control approach first)
  2. 2.Review the BOM — actuators are the big decision
  3. 3.Build a single-joint bench test before a full frame(de-risk the control loop)
  4. 4.Bring up firmware + control

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

Meet Beni, Your First All-Terrain Camera Robot!Partner · Kickstarter
Meet Beni, Your First All-Terrain Camera Robot!
See how it works

KNOWN ISSUES

  • This is lab-grade — expect to read a paper, not follow a step-by-step
  • Powered actuators near a body: always bench-test control before wearing anything
  • No knee build guide exists yet — hip, ankle and elbow only.
  • This is lab-grade: expect to read the Science Robotics paper and docs, not follow a hobby step-by-step.

Can one person build this at home?

It's designed for labs and advanced builders. Solo is possible for a bench prototype; a full worn exo is a serious project.

Is it safe to wear?

Only after thorough bench testing. Powered actuators exert real force — treat it like the research robotics it is.

Can I use it commercially?

License is NOASSERTION — check the repo and paper terms and contact the authors before any commercial use.

Which joints can I build?

Hip (direct drive), ankle (Bowden or direct) and elbow (Bowden). There is no knee build guide yet.

Is it peer-reviewed?

Yes — published in Science Robotics (June 2025). It grew out of a lab building ankle exos for children with cerebral palsy.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

OpenExo currently documents hip, ankle and elbow builds — there's no knee guide yet. If you were starting a build, which joint teaches you the most?

CompareeTEAM1mo ago

The origin story we found while reading around the Science Robotics paper: the framework grew out of a lab building ankle exoskeletons for children with cerebral palsy, which explains its research-first shape — you follow a paper and a five-part startup series, not a hobby step-by-step. The license is NOASSERTION, so commercial plans need a conversation with the authors. Anyone here worked with powered wearables on real users?

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NAU Biomechatronics (naubiomech)

A university biomechatronics lab that open-sourced a full exoskeleton framework — hardware, electronics and controls — so other researchers and builders can advance human-augmentation science.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo