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)
RoboticsMedical-devices
Built with3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●●
- time
- a research project
- license
- CERN-OHL-P-2.0 (hardware), LGPL-3.0 (software)
- repo
- repo ACTIVE372 stars
●●●●● · a research project · CERN-OHL-P-2.0 (hardware), LGPL-3.0 (software) · 372 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
OpenExo is an 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, and the team itself says it is not intended for personal or medical use. 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.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Academic-grade framework — designed for research labs and serious builders, not a weekend kit
- —Hardware CERN-OHL-P v2 (permissive), software LGPL v3 — both allow commercial use with attribution and licence terms kept
Parts to buy
4 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
OpenExo Trailer (TheOpenExo)0:56
Short official trailer. Full startup is a 5-part tutorial series — links below.
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the repo + associated paper (understand the control approach first)
- 2.Review the BOM — actuators are the big decision
- 3.Build a single-joint bench test before a full frame(de-risk the control loop)
- 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.
KNOWN ISSUES
- This is lab-grade — the wiki has step-by-step build guides, but they assume machining, PCB assembly and controls experience
- Powered actuators near a body: always bench-test control before wearing anything
- No knee build guide exists yet — hip, ankle and elbow only.
Can one person build this at home?
It's designed for research labs. A solo bench prototype of one joint is possible for an advanced builder, but the team states OpenExo is not intended for personal use, and a full worn exoskeleton needs machining, PCB work and controls expertise.
Is it safe to wear?
It is a research platform, not a medical device: the team states it is not FDA-approved and not intended for personal or medical use. In a lab setting, bench-test every joint first — powered actuators exert real force on the body.
Can I use it commercially?
The licences allow it — hardware is CERN-OHL-P v2 (permissive) and software is LGPL v3, so modified firmware you distribute must stay under LGPL. But the team states OpenExo is a research platform, not FDA-approved and not intended for personal, medical or commercial use, so any product built on it carries its own regulatory work.
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 — it was published in Science Robotics in June 2025 (Williams et al.), with benchtop and human testing across hip, ankle, hip-and-ankle and elbow configurations.
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?
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.
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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.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.