Quadruped · 2019
Boston Dynamics Spot
The reference quadruped. Nearly a decade of locomotion research compressed into a product, with an SDK and payload ecosystem that actually works in industrial environments.
$74.5k
Boston Dynamics
12 DOF
Closed source
Why it matters
It is the only quadruped with a decade of field data behind its reliability claims. If a robot must not fail, this is the risk-averse answer.
Where it falls short
Price and weight. You cannot modify the locomotion controller, and 14 kg payload disappears fast once you add a manipulator arm.
Read this if you plan to copy itThe parts below are the same classes of component at this platform scale — they are not the exact vendor parts. Use them to understand the architecture and to price a home-built equivalent.
What it is made of
| Subsystem | Comparable part | Price | Primary spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actuators | Robstride 01 | $130 | 14 N·m |
| Compute | Jetson Orin NX 16 GB | $499 | 100 TOPS (INT8, sparse) |
| Sensors | Livox Mid-360 | $700 | 40 m @ 10% reflectivity |
Software you would touch
Spot SDK (Python) · gRPC · ROS driver