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HE BUILT A RUNNING HUMANOID ROBOT IN 120 DAYS — AND GAVE AWAY EVERY BLUEPRINT FOR FREE

A 21-year-old built a 1.25m humanoid that runs at 3 m/s in 120 days and open-sourced everything — CAD, BOM, suppliers, tuning notes.

by Yi Huang

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

RoboticsOpen-hardware

difficulty
●●●●●
time
months
license
GPL-3.0
repo
repo ACTIVE2,127 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

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1

COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a complete open-source humanoid robot that actually runs. Yi Huang documented everything: the mechanical design, the 23-joint actuator setup, the control stack, even the supplier list and sim2real tuning process. The repository is exceptional for a student project — it contains the kind of documentation that usually stays internal at robotics labs. But this is not a weekend build. You need machining access for metal parts, a comfortable budget for motors and electronics (the actuators alone will cost thousands), and experience integrating ROS-based systems. The single biggest barrier is not the software — it is sourcing and fabricating the mechanical components. Most suppliers are Chinese, part specs are in millimetres, and there is no fallback kit. If something does not fit, you troubleshoot it yourself. The reward is a bipedal robot that runs at walking pace, documented well enough that you can actually reproduce it. This is for someone with a workshop, a budget, and the stubborn patience to spend months on a hard build. If you have never machined metal or tuned a legged controller, start smaller.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —Full CAD files for the mechanical structure in STEP format
  • —Complete bill of materials with supplier links (Chinese vendors)
  • —Control firmware and sim-to-real transfer notes included
  • —Assembly documentation is present but assumes machining access
  • —GPL-3.0 licence permits commercial use with source disclosure
  • —No off-the-shelf kit — you source every part and machine metal yourself

Can I build this?

Print3D-printed parts for the feet, cable routing and some structural covers — STL files in the repo
Buy23 × servo motors/actuators (likely high-torque brushless with encoders), motor drivers, SBC (likely Raspberry Pi or Jetson for ROS), IMU, power distribution board, lithium battery pack, aluminium extrusions and metal parts (CNC machining required), screws/fasteners, wiring harness
ToolsCNC mill or access to a machine shop for metal parts, 3D printer (FDM fine for non-structural parts), soldering iron, hex keys, multimeter, computer running Linux for ROS development
SkillsAdvanced — you need mechanical assembly experience, ROS familiarity, motor tuning knowledge, and comfort debugging hardware-software integration issues. Prior robot build experience strongly recommended.
TimeMonths — 120 days is the optimistic timeline from someone who did it full-time. Expect 3-6 months if this is evenings and weekends, longer if you hit sourcing delays or machining problems.
Cost$$$ — motors and actuators will be the largest expense (likely $3k–$8k depending on vendor and spec), metal machining adds hundreds more, electronics and battery another $500–$1k. Budget $5k minimum, realistically more.
SafetyLithium battery packs require safe charging and storage practices. High-torque motors can cause pinch injuries during testing — keep hands clear of joints when powered. No mains voltage in the robot itself.

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

Gallery

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Roboparty/roboto_origin/main/assets/1280X1280.JPEG
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Roboparty/roboto_origin/main/assets/1280X1280.PNG
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gxdKXrVlO9g/maxresdefault.jpg

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 full repository README and documentation (Understand the scope before ordering anything — this is a multi-month commitment)
  2. 2.Review the bill of materials and verify supplier availability in your region(Most suppliers are Chinese vendors — plan for shipping time and currency conversion)
  3. 3.Confirm access to CNC machining for metal parts or find a local machine shop(The metal frame is not optional — you cannot substitute it with 3D-printed parts)
  4. 4.Set up a Linux machine with ROS and clone the control firmware repository(You will need this environment for configuration and testing before the hardware arrives)

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Sourcing the actuators is the first real test — the BOM links to Chinese suppliers and you need to verify specs match before ordering, because a wrong motor means re-machining mounts
  • The metal frame requires CNC machining access — if you do not have a workshop or a machine shop relationship, this is a hard stop before you start
  • Assembly documentation assumes familiarity with robot kinematics and ROS — there is no step-by-step photo guide for first-time builders
  • Tuning the gait controller is an iterative process that requires a safe testing space and patience — the sim2real notes help but you will still spend weeks on this
  • Battery and power distribution are not trivial — a high-current lithium pack needs a proper BMS and safe charging setup, which adds cost and complexity
  • If a part does not fit during assembly, you are debugging it yourself — there is no support forum yet and the creator is one person

Can I build this without a machine shop?

No — the aluminium frame requires CNC machining. You can send files to a service, but that adds cost and lead time.

What is the realistic total cost?

Budget $5k minimum for motors, electronics, battery and machining. If you need to buy tooling or pay for machine shop time, add more.

Is there a pre-made kit or PCB?

No — this is a from-scratch build. You source every component individually and assemble it yourself.

Do I need ROS experience?

Yes — the control stack runs on ROS and you will need to configure, tune and troubleshoot it. If you have never used ROS, expect a steep learning curve.

Can I use different motors if I cannot source the ones in the BOM?

Possibly, but you will need to modify CAD files for new mounting patterns and retune the controller gains — not a beginner task.

How fast does it actually run?

3 m/s is the stated speed — roughly walking pace for a human. This is not a sprinting robot.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

2,100 stars and every file is there — CAD, BOM, suppliers, tuning notes. What would you build first if you had workshop access and a $5k budget?

CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the repository is complete in a way that most academic humanoid projects are not — the BOM has direct supplier links, the CAD is in STEP format (not locked in proprietary software), and the sim2real notes document the tuning process honestly, including what did not work. The barrier is not the documentation — it is the machining requirement and the actuator cost. No official video walkthrough was found, but the README includes enough photos and diagrams to understand the mechanical layout. This is a months-long workshop project, not a weekend one, and the GPL-3.0 licence means you can fork it commercially if you disclose your changes.

Yi Huang

Yi Huang is a 21-year-old robotics engineer in Shanghai who built ROBOTO ORIGIN in 120 days as a demonstration of what a single determined person can do with open tools and documentation. He released the full design under GPL-3.0, including the parts that most projects keep internal — the supplier list, the tuning notes, the mistakes.

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