Hello!
I’m starting this blog with a dream I’ve been putting off for a while: building my own four-legged robot — SpotMicroAI. If you’ve ever been fascinated by Boston Dynamics and their robot dogs, you’ll definitely understand my motivation. Essentially, SpotMicroAI is an open-source project inspired by SpotMini, and any enthusiast can replicate it at home. So, I decided to give it a go!
What is SpotMicroAI?
SpotMicroAI is a DIY platform (do-it-yourself) that combines 3D-printed parts, servos, and affordable electronics to build a functional robot dog.
It can:
- Walk (and with proper tuning, walk quite smoothly)
- Balance and react to tilt
- See and analyze (with the addition of a camera and AI)
- Be controlled remotely
Moreover, the project is actively developed by the community on the official website, and I will provide a step-by-step guide on the assembly and setup process in this blog.
Why did I decide to build it?
I’ve always been passionate about robotics, and I’m really into this field.
I have some experience with 3D printing, electronics, and programming, but this project is a great opportunity to take my skills to the next level.
I’m building it for myself as a hobby, but I also want to learn something new — especially working with artificial intelligence and computer vision (AI and CV).
What’s been done so far?
So far, I’ve printed all the necessary parts.
And assembled the main electronics:
- 📌 Raspberry Pi 3 — the main controller (for now, I’ll upgrade to a Raspberry Pi 5 later)
- ⚙️ MG996R servos (12 pieces)
- 💡 PCA9685 — for controlling all the servos
- 🔋 Lithium 18650 3S batteries with a BMS board
- 🔻 Step-Down 5V converter — to power the Raspberry Pi
- 🧰 And a bunch of small things: screws, nuts, wires, capacitors
Next, I’ll start assembling the body and connecting everything together. I’ll be sharing the process step-by-step in future posts.
What’s this blog about?
This blog will be useful for:
- Beginners who want to build SpotMicroAI
- DIY enthusiasts, 3D printing lovers, and Raspberry Pi fans
- People interested in robotics but not sure where to start
- And anyone who enjoys following interesting tech projects
In each post, I’ll share my experiences, photos, useful links, mistakes, and lessons learned.
A quick note:
Everything I publish here is purely my personal experience.
I’m not a professional, and I’m not trying to be a teacher. I’m learning, experimenting, and just sharing my steps and observations with anyone who might find it interesting or helpful.
The methods and approaches I describe are not necessarily the “right” or only way to do things. Please take the information as an overview of my journey, not as a strict guide.
If you have ideas, advice, or want to share your own experience, I’d be happy to chat in the comments!
Let’s stay in touch! Follow me:
