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SPOTMICRO: PRINT YOUR OWN SPOT-STYLE ROBOT DOG

The DIY answer to Boston Dynamics' Spot — a printable four-legged robot that walks and even does SLAM with a small lidar.

by mike4192 (with Deok-yeon Kim's frame)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Robotics3D-printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
several weekends
license
MIT
repo
repo STABLE2,092 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 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

SpotMicro is the beloved DIY take on Boston Dynamics' Spot — a printable quadruped that walks with a real gait and can even do SLAM with a small RPLidar. It's a rite of passage in the robot-dog community. Be clear on how it's split, though: this repo is the software (ROS control, kinematics), and the body STL is deliberately not here — the README sends you to Deok-yeon Kim's original Thingiverse model (KDY0523) for the printable parts. So you're combining a Thingiverse print with this control stack. It's an older ROS Kinetic project with some sharp edges (a required swap file, no built-in command limits), but the payoff — your own walking, mapping robot dog — is huge. Budget band $$ and several weekends.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —The body STL is NOT in this repo — the README points you to the Thingiverse model (KDY0523)
  • —This repo is the SOFTWARE (ROS Kinetic, C++/Python nodes); the repo STL is only for RVIZ
  • —BOM is in the README; kinematics live in separate submodules
  • —It's Ubuntu 16.04 + ROS Kinetic only
  • —CAD is 3D-printable STL, not editable STEP — the community's known gap; the SpotMicroESP32 fork carries the only public STEP files (a few mod parts).

Can I build this?

Printthe body from the Thingiverse model (KDY0523) — not from this repo
Buya Raspberry Pi 3B, a PCA9685 driver, 12× PDI-HV5523MG servos, a 2S LiPo, an RPLidar A1
Tools3D printer, hex drivers, soldering
SkillsROS (Kinetic), Linux, servo calibration patience
Timeseveral weekends
Costband $$ — current prices: README BOM
Safety12 geared servos with no built-in limits — calibrate carefully to avoid damaging the hardware

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

Raspberry Pi Spot Micro Quadruped Project2:56

The creator's demo of the trot gait — the project's main video.

Gallery

SpotMicro walking (trot gait)mike4192 (MIT)
SLAM with an RPLidar A1mike4192 (MIT)
Top view of the buildmike4192 (MIT)
The lidar mountmike4192 (MIT)

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 docs (hardware, servo calibration, SLAM)
  2. 2.Get the body from Thingiverse (KDY0523 — the printable parts)
  3. 3.Need editable CAD / STEP? Use the ESP32 fork (the most active fork; most complete STL set + a few STEP files (servo-horn mods))
  4. 4.Watch the assembly (original frame build)
  5. 5.Order the BOM (RPi, servos, driver, lidar)
  6. 6.Explore the SpotMicroAI community (the wider community docs)

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

  • Almost everything is STL — a clean full STEP of the whole robot does not exist publicly. The mike4192 repo is STL only; the SpotMicroESP32 fork adds a few STEP files (servo-horn mods) and the most complete STL set. To redesign parts you'll import STL as mesh or work from the ESP32 fork.
  • The body STL is NOT in this repo — print it from the Thingiverse model (KDY0523)
  • It's Ubuntu 16.04 + ROS Kinetic only — check compatibility before you start
  • You need a ~1 GB swap file or the build (catkin) can freeze on a Pi
  • There are no built-in command limits — bad calibration can damage the servos

Where are the printable body parts?

On Thingiverse — Deok-yeon Kim's original model (KDY0523). This repo is the control software; its STL is only for the RVIZ visualization.

Can it really do SLAM?

Yes — with a small RPLidar A1 it can map as it walks, though the odometry is rough. Great for learning the pipeline.

Is it beginner-friendly?

It's an intermediate-plus build: ROS Kinetic, careful servo calibration, and some Linux troubleshooting. Rewarding, but not plug-and-play.

What does it cost?

Band $$ — the servos and Pi dominate. The README BOM has current figures.

Community builds

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

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The whole stack is pinned to Ubuntu 16.04 and ROS Kinetic. Would you build on the legacy environment as documented, or spend your first month porting it to ROS 2?

CompareeTEAM1mo ago

A trench-level tip we found in the docs: on a Raspberry Pi the catkin build can silently freeze unless you add roughly a gigabyte of swap first — the kind of thing that costs a newcomer an evening. Also note the printable body isn't here; you print Deok-yeon Kim's original Thingiverse frame, while this repo supplies the gaits and SLAM software. Has anyone modernized the stack and shared their fork?

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You can build a spinning LIDAR that maps a room in real time

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mike4192 (with Deok-yeon Kim's frame)

Built a full ROS control stack for a Spot-style quadruped on top of Deok-yeon Kim's popular Thingiverse frame, adding walking gaits and SLAM.

GitHub YouTube

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