OpenCat - Open Source Quadruped Robotic Framework

On Oct 6th 23, Petoi hosted a virtual session on robotics education & best practices. The session was hosted by Wayne Seltzer, a featured Petoi robotics educator and esteemed teacher from the University of Colorado Boulder along with Rongzhong Li who is founder and CEO of Petoi. They were also joined by a group of STEM/robotics educators. Below is a video of the full virtual session.

Wayne shared his valuable insights and experiences in utilizing Petoi's Bittle robot dogs to Explore Computer Science and Robotics STEM Academy(Grades 9-12) by Colorado University Boulder and designing the course.

Diving a little bit into the program: The Science Discovery Program offered a week-long Robotics Engineering Academy for high school students. Each participant received a Petoi Bittle Robot Dog which they built, programmed, and took home with them. The students enjoyed creating poses and gaits for their quadrupeds and developed interesting programs with sophisticated behaviors.  Wayne's observation is that the organic nature of robots with legs is much more engaging than wheels.

Here are some of the highlights from the virtual event:

• Each high school student assembled and configured his/her own Bittle as the class had an emphasis on hands-on physical computing. Each student took Bittle home after the camp was finished as the camp fees covered Bittle's cost.
• Students engaged with Bittle more than other forms of robots because Bittle is in a dog form.  Natively, students knew more about general dog movement and liked to emulate those movements on the Bittle. 
• Students liked to use the Skill Composer to create new interesting and skills.
• The class used Petoi Coding Blocks for the coding part.  Petoi Coding Blocks automatically generate Python codes, so it was easier to explain things both in terms of Block-based coding and Python coding.
• Students seemed to be more willing to share their own recordings on social media than being filmed by the camp.
• Students were encouraged to take Bittle home and do more tinkering by themselves every night.
• Because Bittle supports NyBoard which is Arduino compatible, he would have been able to do some classes on IoT if the camp wasn't just one week long.

During the session, Rongzhong also shared a few updates to Petoi's C++ and Petoi Coding Blocks curriculum and how he taught undergraduate students with Bittle at university robotics camps.

If you are interested in learning how to adopt Petoi robots for STEM/robotics education, please get in touch for more information and next steps!
Want to learn more about Petoi's Robotics curriculum?   Check out the Petoi resources page for curriculum updates and resources on teaching robotics.
Happy Learning!

When it comes to choosing the right Robotics Curriculum for Robotics Eduation, there is a lot to consider. Which Robotics Curriculum is most comprehensive? Which Robotics curriculum will be the best for developing children's conceptual and hands-on knowledge? Are there any good resources out there to learn about Robots for higher grades? What after-deployment support options are available for educators?

Whether it's elementary, middle school, or high school, supporting student journeys with Coding Robot Curriculums or specific robots for classrooms is a fantastic way to lay a practical foundation for students' future STEM education.

In this article, we will go over and compare some of the leading Robotics curriculums.  We'll dive deeper into their features, what they offer, who they're for and what you can expect from the robot curriculum:

1. Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy

Developed by Carnegie Mellons Robotics Academy (CMRA), Carnegie Mellon's easy-to-follow robotics curriculum is comprehensive & can be taught by anyone with a limited understanding or experience in robotics. With ample opportunities to grow from simple into advanced concepts, this is one of the best university robotics programs out there. 
Not only does CMU extend and provide its curriculums to other schools, but it also offers comprehensive training to teachers as well!
What's very interesting about this Robotics Curriculum is that it offers an in-depth programming interface module and a Virtual Robot (as seen in the image above) that is built into the curriculum- this makes Robotics for classroom learning more accessible for everyone.
For the virtual robot, here are some robot curriculums supported:

• Coding and Computational Thinking with Virtual Robot
• Coding and Computational Thinking with SPIKE Prime

What makes CMU's robot curriculum one of the best in the world is its variety of coding languages covered and the diverse options for teachers and educators to try. 

For LEGO

• Intro to programming with Virtual EV3
• Introduction to programming with LEGO Mindstorms EV3

When it comes to the coding languages supported and covered, CMU supports, trains and structures its courses around: Scratch, C++, VEX Code C++ & Vex Code Blocks. CMRA also offers online teacher training for all these languages.

Pricing:

While total cost of your robotics curriculum would come down to the strength of your class and depth of your course, for the sake of understanding, here's a simple unit economics of getting started with CMU's LEGO Mindstorm:

1. The Robot- One physical LEGO Mindstorm EV3 Robot itself can set you back $300 (if you opt for the virtual one- it can cost lower)
2. The Course- Live online training for most courses with CMU start around $599.  if you'd like to add Onsite training as well- it should cost you another USD $1099 on top.

Please note these prices are unit {for one only} - assuming you will order a larger quantity of robots for the class- some of the costs will go down with larger order sizes.

Limitations:

Carnegie Mellon University's robotics program is prestigious and one of the best in to the world, however, it does have some limitations, for instance:

• The program and curriculum is very diverse and has multiple options to choose from - for educators, this sometimes feels overwhelming and makes it difficult to decide.
• There is no one-stop shop to procure the robots and access the curriculum further adding a little bit of confusion when zeroing in on the best course and curriculum.

These factors affect student access and program adaptability especially across schools and colleges.

2. VEX

The VEX platform boasts of a flexible robot curriculum that effortlessly synchronizes science, design, technology, engineering & programming. VEX curriculums are known to be very comprehensive and are widely used at the junior to high school levels. With a focus on healthy competition through robotics competitions, VEX is at the forefront of collaborative robotics learning. This means that most of their courses encourage teamwork and cooperation between students. Most loved by teachers all around the world, VEX curriculums are mostly free to download and are available on their website. 

Covering every aspect of STEM and all the while engaging students with the fun and excitement of robotics robots can be coded with the graphical drag-and-drop or text-based programming, making the programming simple to teach and easy to learn!

Software parts can also be designed and 3d printed while all this is delivered using the free teacher-developed curriculum available online.

One of the best things about the VEX Robotics curriculum is that it offers and covers every single grade - meaning that theres a course for everyone, irrecpective of level or age.

For instance:

• VEX 123 (Aimed at pre-K+ with VEX coder cards and simple 123 robots)
• VEX V5 (for grades 9+ with multiple robotic starter kits to choose from)

VEX curriculum are developed for the teachers to integrate smoothly within the classroom. An example of this is VEX STEM Labs (curriculum) which are "plugin lessons" that can fit directly into an existing robotics curriculum. With a straightforward teacher portal and resources, VEX curriculums are a fantastic option for STEM educators around the world!

(Above is an example of "Over Under"- A project/ game where students learn to build & program STRIKER over a few lessons and learn how to move the robot and score)

Pricing:

Although many of VEX's courses are accessible and affordable (some robot curriculum are even offered for free), the issue with VEX is the price of their robots and hardware.
For instance- one VEX EXP Education Classroom robotics kit starts at USD $850.

Limitations:

VEX's robotics curriculum and hardware is expensive due to the expense of components and kits. Additionally, platforms like VEX Robotics are constrained by a fixed set of components and sensors, limiting their suitability for advanced projects or research. 

3. FIRST inspires curriculum by LEGO

Developed using a project-based learning method, FIRST curriculum by LEGO is one of the most inclusive curriculums that is competitive, fun, and integrated. Offering courses for Pre-K12 students, grades 2-4 and  up to Grades 7-12. the FIRST curriculum has something for everyone.Working with relevant, real-world project scenarios, the curriculum is designed to get students to think beyond just the classroom. Diving into complex real-world technical problems, the robotics curriculum forces out-of-the-box thinking and aligns learning with career exploration and building technical skills that students can take into the 21st-century workforce!

Across the LEGO FIRST inspires curriculum, the coding languages in focus are Python text-based programming, Word Block Programming (eg. Scratch) & Unplugged coding.

Above is an example of a completed project from the LEGO FIRST Inspires Robot Curriculum.

Pricing:

Depending on the grade and class strength, the LEGO First Inspires curriculum costs vary. However, irrespective of the robotics curriculum you go for, LEGO Hardware and robots are not cheap.

For instance:
1. The LEGO Spark Prime Robot and expansion set (ideal for grades- 4 to 8) will cost you USD $540 
2. The REV Robotics education kit (part of the FIRST tech challenge ideal for grades- 7 to 12) will cost you USD $840 as well.
(this is only the cost of the robot/ hardware- registration and curriculum costs like Teacher training and additional Engineering Textbooks are extra)

Limitations:

The LEGO FIRST Inspires robotic curriculum, while fun and engaging, has some limitations.

• Costly equipment (along with curriculum costs) may hinder accessibility for some schools or students. The platform's educational focus may lack advanced features found in professional-grade kits, hindering exploration of complex concepts.
• Sometimes, the focus and encouragement of competition can also sideline the focus on pure education and learning.

Despite these constraints, the program remains effective in engaging students with robotics concepts.

4. Petoi Block-Based & C++ Robotics Coding Curriculum for every student to build and code a robot pet

Petoi's robotics curriculums are extensive, easy to follow, and excellent for educators. First off, it's very hard to find a curriculum that involves affordable quadrupeds. Petoi's Bittle Robot Dog & Nybble Robot Cat make learning and teaching a breeze.

Providing an unmatched learning experience, kids and adults recognize cat and dog movement- facilitating curiosity and adding flavor to the learning process. 

Whether it's teens or elementary school students, they first learn to build their own robot dogs with robot kits:

Once they see the versatility and real-life-like movements of Petoi's programmable robot dog & cat, the first thing they want to do is learn how to move the robots themselves with the mobile app and coding. Not only does this subtly expose young minds to the physics of four-legged motion, but it also urges students to think deeply about robot motion, balance and real dynamic movements.

Petoi's free block-based project curriculum condenses complex programming into a scratch-like environment which is simple for schools to teach and students to grasp!
Petoi also provides a series of block-based robotics coding video tutorials that cover everything - from the initial setup of the robots to actual movement!

For higher grade students, Petoi offers a free C++ quadruped robotics curriculum that covers from C++ basic to quadruped robotics movement coding.

In addition, Petoi robots come with the free Petoi Skill Composer to help any student easily create robot skills.   A free video tutorial series helps anyone get started. 

Pricing:

What makes Petoi's robot curriculum a lucrative and accessible option for educators around the world, is minimal financial constriants- whether in hardware or the curriculum itself. First off, the curriculum is diverse, hands-on and practical, and it is free of cost.  Petoi's curriculum is also easily accessible on YouTube and on the website without any costly subscription or complex LMS.

Secondly the cost of the quadruped robots is one of the most affordable in the world. For instance: A Petoi Bittle Robot Dog starts at only USD $269 while A Petoi Nybble Robot cat starts at only USD $299.

Please note: while these affordable prices are for the cost for one robot only, Petoi for Educator Program offers fantastic offers and training support.  You can get in touch to find out more. 

Petoi has introduced new robotics competition ideas, taking learning a step further from just the classroom walls.  This makes Petoi one of the most affordable, flexible, and complete end to end Robotics Curriculums out there!

Want to learn more about Petoi's Block Based Robotics Coding curriculum?

Start now:

 

Picture this: you're looking to introduce a quadruped or a four-legged robot to your STEM classroom for the next academic year. Not only will a programmable robot dog facilitate holistic robotics learning, but a popular quadruped will infuse fun and practical hands-on training for all the students as well. 

When it comes to choosing the right quadruped robot for your classroom, there are many robots that you could consider. Robot Dogs are one of the most popular for 3 main reasons:

1. Dog movements are naturally understood and intuitive, even elementary school children have an idea of how the robot will move once programmed.
2. Combining Robotics with animals is amusing and refreshing, especially for young students. Students love watching robot animals walk, run, flip and jump.
3. Apart from casting a wide net for students of all ages from elementary schools all the way through high school, colleges and universities, Modern robot dogs are versatile. They can be programmed in multiple languages like Scratch, C++, & Python (to name a few).

Striking similarities between the movement of dogs and their robot counterparts:

Today we'll compare 3 of the top robot dogs for a classroom setting from K12 schools, all the way to middle schools, colleges & universities:

• Spot Mini
• Unitree Go2 Edu
• Petoi Bittle

1. Spot Mini

Robot Dimensions:

Length: 43.3 in; Width: 19.7 in
Height: while sitting - 7.5 in; while walking - 24 in
Weight: 70 lb (with battery) 

About the Robot

Spot Mini, developed by Boston Dynamics, is one of the most popular and advanced quadrupeds in the market. Known for its agility, distinct yellow color, and lifelike bionic movements making it a great option for teaching robotics in classrooms. Students are drawn to Spot Mini due to its versatility, namely in locomotion, object manipulation, and sensor integration, Spot Mini offers a comprehensive platform for exploring various aspects of robotics, from basic programming to advanced concepts in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

For Educators 

Educators leverage Spot Mini to inspire creativity and problem-solving skills in their students. By programming Spot Mini to navigate through obstacle courses, perform tasks, or interact with its environment, students gain practical experience in robotics and develop critical thinking abilities. 

Using Boston Dynamics' Spot Mini in classrooms presents some challenges such as high costs, technical support needs, and a learning curve for programming languages like Python, C++, or ROS.

One major drawback of using the Spot Mini in a classroom, especially with elementary students, is the safety concern where an out-of-control Spot Mini can cause physical harm to students. Its official terms and conditions state that “Spot is an amazing robot, but is not certified safe for in-home use or intended for use near children or others who may not appreciate the hazards associated with its operation."

Pricing

Possibly one of the major limitations of teaching robotics with the Spot Mini is the costs of the hardware and support.
The Spot Mini is retailed for $74,500. This makes individual learning a real challenge!  It's simply very difficult for schools and colleges to purchase a group of these robot dogs for a group of students.  The learning experience without running the setup costs in hundreds of thousands.  With a limited budget, a school may be forced to buy only a few Spot Mini robot dogs that are shared among many students.  If students somehow cause some damage to Spot Mini, the service costs can be really high.

2. Unitree Go2

Robot Dimensions:

Length: 27 in; Width: 13 in
Height: while sitting - 7.5 in; while walking - 16 in
Weight: 33 lg (with battery) 

About the Robot

Developed by Unitree Robotics, The Unitree Go2 Edu Robot dog boasts of cutting-edge features. To give you an idea of how different these robot dogs are: The Unitree Go2 is equipped with a 4G e-sim card and WiFi & Bluetooth as well. These robot dogs are intelligent: coming with their own GPT and a unique 4D LiDAR L1 system developed to help the robot dog travel across multiple terrains as well.

For Educators

The Unitree Go2 Edu can be programmed in the coding langauge Python and is compatible with ROS ( Robot Operating System). Educators can pair the Unitree Go2 with Droneblocks' comprehensive robotics curriculum to deliver in-depth learning of STEM throughout the academic year. 

Just like the Spot Mini, The Unitree Go2 EDU is also compatible with a Servo Arm which extends its application with unique accessories that help students to dive deeper into robotic applications and real-world usage.

Pricing

The Unitree Go2 Pro Robot Dog with controller starts at $3050 with $399+ shipping and additional custom duties.

3. Petoi Bittle Robot Dog Family

Robot Dimensions:

Length: 7.9 in; Width: 4.3 in
Height: 4.3 in
Weight: 265 g (with battery) 

About the Petoi Robot Dogs

Versatile, affordable, simple to use, and highly customizable, the Petoi Bittle Dog family contains quadruped robots for every level of STEM education. Petoi Bittle Robot Dog is a small-sized quadruped that packs a big punch. Also available with voice control, motion sensing, light sensors, a camera, and multiple accessories along with the robot dog, Bittle makes learning and teaching fun, engaging, and affordable.

Designed with the classroom in mind, Petoi Bittle Robot Dog is the smallest quadruped on the list today and can fit in a palm. Students in classrooms all around the world are drawn to Bittle because of its unique size, ease of use, and functionality. Petoi Bittle is a great choice for robotics projects for kids and it is a great choice for AI project robots as well.

For Educators

Petoi Bittle is easier to teach as well with a comprehensive free robotics curriculum. For instance, there are options to learn and teach programming depending on student level:

• Simple Block-Based Coding with drag-and-drop for beginners, &
• C++ Curriculum for middle, high school, and college students

Another important point to note here is minimal maintenance and storage costs. Most Robot Dogs are bulky, and heavy and need constant maintenance because there is always the chance of the bigger accessories and screws, or parts falling off and getting damaged or going missing! Petoi's accessories and spare parts are readily available and shipped quickly.  That translates to more uptime for learning and fewer holds and technical difficulties while teaching.

For Students

Apart from the inclusive and free curriculum, Petoi Bittle Robot Dog is also safe to use for students and recommended for grade 4 or above(10 years old). 

Larger Robot Dogs (which are almost the size of an actual dog) could be hazardous, especially around children. Not only can they hurt students, but their industrial power and speed mean that most students don't interact with the robot directly!  Bittle is different: even elementary students can pick up a light Bittle right from the ground as it is very safe to operate. Petoi's smart robots are designed to encourage inclusive and personal STEM learning, setting the Petoi Bittle apart from its competition. Unlike other Robot Dogs which all the students of the class share, Petoi's smart robots are light, safe, and easy to maneuver. Learning by doing is one of the most practical ways of teaching, and Petoi Bittle's price and features mean that every student in the class can build and code their robot pet.

Bittle robot dogs can support a wide range of users, from total beginners to experienced coders. This makes Petoi the leading option for robots for science projects and robots for school projects. In the Petoi Robotics Challenge And Showcase Contests - Spring 2024, participants as long as 10-years-old designed Bittle to sing and dance with new movements.

Graduate student Reid Graves from Carnegie Mellon University deployed an advanced real-time objection detection YOLO model on a Raspberry Pi on top of Bittle robotics kit to enable Bittle to collect acorns with AI.

Pricing

An open-source programmable and fun robot for students of all ages must be expensive, right? Not really!  With Petoi Bittle, you can choose from 3 options:

• Bittle STEM Kit - starting at $269
• Bittle Robotics Kit   - starting at $329
• Bittle X - starting at $289

Petoi Bittle Robot STEM Kit and Bittle Robotics Kit are built with NyBoard which makes them ideal for Arduino UNO-compatible projects. Fantastic for STEM education along with AI, IoT and robotics, these Bittle models can be bought fully assembled or in a construction package (DIY Robotics kit) (takes about 1 hour to assemble) Bittle STEM Kit and Bittle X come with plastic servos while Bittle Robotics Kit comes with metal servos. Petoi Bittle X is built on the BiBoard and it supports Arduino UNO-compatible projects along with ESP32 projects as well. Bittle X also comes with 35+ inbuilt voice commands and 10 user-defined programmable voice commands. Starting at only $279 retail, Bittle X is a fantastic quadruped for academic curriculums. Petoi's spare parts and accessories like servos, microcontrollers, sensors, etc are also easy to procure and much cheaper.  This greatly reduces the maintenance costs as well! Most K12 schools, universities and colleges prefer purchasing 1 Petoi robot dog for every 1 to 3 students to encourage personalized learning and enable a practical, hands-on, and inclusive experience. 

Conclusion

If you're an educator on the lookout for a robot dog to take your STEM classroom to the next level or get students into robotics, we hope this blog article has been of value! All in all, the affordable price, the depth of range, the free curriculum, and the expanded scope of learning for students of all ages make the Petoi Bittle the best quadruped robot out there. For the price of 1 Spot Mini, you can get over 300 Petoi Bittle robot dogs with our exclusive Petoi school volume discount!  Further, this means that you can design a robotics curriculum for your class that is accessible for all students, interactive, practical, and inexpensive! A curriculum where every student can build and code their own robot dog to participate in robotics competitions!

At Petoi, we prioritize robotics education and learning, In addition to offering a free robotics curriculum, we also provide exclusive training and assistance to educators along with robotics competition support. If you're looking to bring a Robot Dog into your classroom, click on the image below to get in touch with our team and we'd love to help!

Petoi's Bittle Robot Dogs are making quite the impression in classrooms around the world. Read about the following blog posts to learn more how Petoi robots are used in classrooms for robotics education:

• A week-long robotics summer camp at University Of Colorado Boulder Summer Robotics/STEM Camp
• Students and faculty at Tarleton State University use Petoi Bittle to grow STEM in colleges and communities around them

At Petoi, we are privileged to extend our continuous partnership with the wonderful faculty and students of the Tarleton State University from Stephenville, Texas. On 3 spectacular occasions, students of TSU showcased the versatility, depth, and capability of Petoi's quadruped robot kits to various groups like elementary school students, Boy Scouts, and members of SWE (Society of Women Engineering). Here's a sneak peek of the events.

1. Boy Scouts of America STEM Badge event

On April 24th, 2023, Tarleton University organized its STEM badge event for The Boy Scouts of America. The focus was on teaching robotics and programming to children of all ages. Once the event began, the Boy Scouts were understandably curious to explore how these cool and adorable Petoi robots worked.

Each Boy Scout was provided with ample time to interact with the computer and work closely with Petoi handlers to practically assemble the quadrupeds, learn how to optimize code, and also gain an understanding of how engineers work to try and improve their processes. The event was a roaring success as most Boy Scouts were able to get the Petoi Bittle Robot Dog to not only move but also do some tricks! This goes to show just how easy and quick it is for children of all ages to learn how to fully program a Petoi robot project kit. With our free Block based coding curriculum, basic programming becomes as simple as drag and drop and can be deployed to lay a solid foundation for the future!

2. SWE (Society of Women Engineering) outreach event with Petoi

On the 9th of February, 2024, Tarleton's Petoi partners joined hands with some members of SWE as they visited The Girls Who Code elementary club in Euless, Texas.  The event commenced with an insightful talk about the Mayfield College of Engineering (a part of Tarleton State University)- its campus programs, and the various organizations that frequented the campus. Towards the end of the event, the children were introduced to the adorable Petoi Nybble robot cat. The children were in awe and highly intrigued as they saw the robot in action - walking, moving, and looking around just like a real cat. Apart from the various Nybble tricks that were on display, the Petoi handlers also explained the process of understanding the robot and how they overcame some obstacles through trial and error.

 

Overall, it was a fantastic visit to showcase the sheer practical power of engineering to the next generation of aspiring engineers.

3. STEM day at Chamberlin Elementary School

March 21st 2024 saw over 200 enthusiastic young minds from Stephenville Community participate in a "STEM day event" at the nearby Chamberlin Elementary School. The students of grades 1 & 2 took turns in groups of 20 as they interacted with the Petoi's robots. A couple of the Bittle robots were connected to laptops and showcased how the robot pets were controlled by Petoi's block-based coding software - Petoi Coding Blocks. One of the Nybble cat robots was also controlled by phone!

Since the group was huge, the presenters also put on a fun skit for all the kids that encouraged participation and learning through movement: when the kids moved, the robot followed, and when the kids jumped, the robot jumped as well! This brought on thunderous cheer, laughter, and amazement from the children.

A special shoutout to our partners at Tarleton State University, student leader Emily Kelley and  Petoi handlers who left no stone unturned when it came to ensuring a smooth learning experience for everyone and providing assistance to anyone who got stuck on a problem!

Are you interested in learning how Petoi's robotic kits are mesmerizing students worldwide?

Take a look at how Petoi is shaping the future of Robotics at Syracuse University. *Want to learn Block-Based Robot Programming? You can get started with the first video of our curriculum right here

As you walk through the campus of Bluefield State University, a public in Bluefield, West Virginia, you will cross Dickason Hall, where young aspiring robotics students work on leading STEM and robotics school projects. Recently, Petoi Bittle was right at the center of such an exceptional program. In this article, we'll take a look at how Petoi Bittle is helping shape the future of global robotics education!

Made possible by the Presidents Emerging Scholars Academy, the inaugural one-week program featured quadruped robots like Petoi Bittle.  It gave many high school students their first experience with building and coding an educational robot dog.

Started in the summer of 2023,  the goal of the Presidents Emerging Scholars Academy is to enable high school students from disadvantaged areas to access excellent opportunities in STEM and robotics that would prepare them for college-level work, especially in highly challenging fields of study.

The academy program introduced students to Petoi Bittle STEM Kits and spent about an hour building and assembling the quadruped robots. Next, they used Block-Based coding with Scratch to learn the basic concepts and fundamentals behind robot movement while learning to program and maneuver the Bittle dog.  The summer camp program also incorporated Petoi Sensor Pack to introduce IoT programming to students where students can collect inputs via sensors attached to the robots and program new behaviors.

One of the professors who was teaching the students how to code  marveled at how easy it was to program Petoi coding robot Bittle, especially using Block-Based coding with Scratch. He mentioned how with the press of a button, students could get the robot to move and also program complex dance routines with the legged robots.

Here is a video of the high school students working with Petoi Bittle robot dogs:

The summer camp program is a fantastic initiative to give these young minds an actual taste of college life and hopefully also light a spark in these teens to pursue higher education in STEM, robotics and beyond! We at Petoi are excited to have the opportunity to have Bittle feature in their inaugural program and make robotics education accessible to everyone! Not just in Bluefield State, Petoi's educational robots and robotics curriculums can be seen in schools, colleges & universities all around the world: Read how Colorado University has used Petoi Robot dogs for Summer Robotics and STEM camps From STEM projects to introduction to robotics education to cutting-edge robotics AI projects, we prioritize robotics education and aim to equip educators around the world with free, easy-to-access curriculums that can help with practical learning in the classroom. You can click on the image below to learn about our free robotics curriculum:

Join us as we celebrate 8 years of OpenCat open source robotics framework! 😍 We're incredibly proud of our journey of developing Nybble/Bittle/Bittle X with  OpenCat and the milestones we've achieved, and it's all thanks to you, our amazing community.

Let's rewind our memory to see the 1st ever OpenCat robot video:

To mark this special occasion, we're creating the OpenCat Robot Around the World Documentary Video project! We're inviting you to create a fun video showcasing your robot's adventures and be part of a global compilation video.

How to participate

Create Your Fun Video

1. Introduction (First 10 Seconds):
1. Your name
2. Your robot’s name
3. Your country and area
4. (For Educators): Mention your school and students
2. Showcase Your Robot’s Adventures, such as
1. Highlight its personality, skills, and unique features
2. Capture exciting moments and creative scenes at a landmark of your location
3. Incorporate elements from your local culture, such as traditional music, landmarks, or attire
4. Share personal anecdotes or stories about how your robot has impacted your life or learning journey
3. Language: Use your native language and include English for wider reach
4. Format: square video, the minimal resolution is 1200px x 1200px
5. Length: we recommend 2 minutes or less.

Submit Your Entry

1. Post on Social Media:
1. Post your video on your favorite social media platform.
2. Tag @petoicamp and use the hashtags #Petoi #OpenCat #RobotPet #Robotics #PetoiChallenge
2. Email the link of your social media post to support+contest@petoi.com.

You can submit multiple entries.

Be a Part of OpenCat Robot Around the World Documentary Video

• The first 10 seconds of every entry will be used.
• We will select the most creative parts of the best videos.
• The final compilation will be showcased on our social media, newsletter, and blogs.

Submission Deadline

The deadline is August 13, 2024 (Pacific Time). We will count the social media likes on Monday, August 14.

Winners Announcement

We will announce the winner on August 19, 2024 (Pacific Time) and contact the winners directly through email or social media.

Awards

Every entry will have a chance to win one of these amazing awards:

• Petoi’s Choice Award: Petoi selects a winner based on creativity, storytelling, and overall appeal.
• Audience’s Choice Award: The social media post that receives the most likes (minimum 10 likes).

The award winners will be featured in special interviews or have their stories highlighted in Petoi’s media communication.

Note: We reserve the right not to select a winner if none of the entries meets the criteria for winning.

Prizes

The winner can choose any one of the following items and a Petoi tee:

• A brand-new Petoi Robot 🐶 or 🐱
• A $200 Petoi Coupon
• A $100 Amazon Gift Card

Why Participating?

By participating, you're not just sharing a video; you're co-creating a historic moment with us. Your video will highlight the diverse and passionate OpenCat community from around the world, showcasing that robots can be accessible to everyone.  Check out the past video contest to get an idea about what it is like to share a video.

Let’s make history together and celebrate the innovative spirit of our global family! 

When it comes to interesting robotics projects that showcase innovation, our community at Petoi leads the way! From blending advanced automotive tech architecture with Petoi Bittle to designing custom code to move the robots, from building your own voice command AI robot pet to breaking the boundaries in autonomous movement.  In this article, we will take a look at a few robotics projects created by our community that shed light on the fusion between sophisticated quadruped robotics applications and Raspberry Pi running on Petoi open source quadruped robotics framework and hardware.

Run And Control A Petoi Bittle Stem Robot On SOAFEE Open-source Automotive Architecture With Raspberry Pi

Starting things off we have GitLab Field Chief Cloud Architect Darwin Sanoy.  His amazing robotics Raspberry Pi project Petoi Bittle Robot Dog Running SOAFEE(Scalable Open Architecture for the Embedded Edge) is at the intersection of STEM education and Software Defined Vehicle architecture with smart robot that acts like a test prototype for the automotive industry.

First-time embedded systems developers enjoy seeing their code interact with the real world, but this experience is limited in software-defined vehicle development due to the impracticality of having a car at every desk. To address this, the idea of using robotics in STEM education as a substitute for cars in automotive development is being explored. Darwin and his collogue James Moverley have developed an initial solution using a Raspberry Pi 5 with an Arm processor and k3s by SUSE's Rancher, managed by GitLab's AgentK. This setup enables the beginnings of the SOAFEE open-source automotive architecture to run on and control a Petoi Bittle STEM coding robot.

We're lucky to have Darwin document his journey on GitHub and share everything with us through a fantastic informative video! He also posts regular updates on his Linkedin profile like this. Here is the link to the video: Darwin's AI Robot project shaping the future of the automotive tech education! 

Bittle Robot Dog Teleoperation with ROS and Raspberry Pi: Custom Driver, Using Twist Messages

We take a quick trip down memory lane, taking a look at the fantastic work done by Dmitry Maslov on his Youtube channel Hardware.ai. Back in 2020, when Petoi Bittle robot dog was still on kickstarter, Dmitry combined Petoi Bittle robotics kit with ROS (Robotic Operating System) and explained 2 options on how to write custom drivers for ROS to interact with the robot's hardware and control Petoi Bittle's movements. 

Dmitry's first option was using Bittle coding robot dog's existing microcontroller and running an ROS controller directly on this chip. The second option also dealt with a more advanced method where Dmitry used a Raspberry Pi to communicate with the microcontroller. 

This in depth article on the Hardware.ai article gives us an insight on both of these options and how to start writing custom code. You can also watch the video "Bittle Teleoperation with ROS and Raspberry Pi: Custom driver, using Twist messages" to actually see this in action: 

Build Your Own Alexa-like Voice-controlled Using Raspberry Pi

For our third robotics project, we can take a look at how Friende Peng, a summer intern at Petoi, built his own Alexa-like voice-controlled robot dog with AI!  This video demos the voice control capability with a small speech recognition model and Voice Activity Detection algorithm running on a Raspberry Pi.   By going through the open source robotics project code repository for this, you will learn about the tradeoff and experiments Friende made to enable speech recognition and voice command capability on a small robot.

It's a valuable lesson for anyone that develops robotics AI application under physical constraints.

Friende also did a voice control robot cat demo with Petoi open source quadruped robot cat Nybble: 

 

Did you know: Petoi Bittle X  robotics kit also comes with in-built voice control? Find Bittle X here!

Explore Various Ways To Run the Camera Module On Bittle To Adjust Its Behaviors

Simon from Malta experimented with Petoi Bittle as he was reviewing its capabilities. Simon, who has a Master degree in AI, used Bittle coding robot for this AI project. In a 3 part blog series which Simon documented, he wrote about his full interaction with the smart robot dog and also explored the scope of the camera and movement tracking with the Intelligent Camera Module. He was amazed to see how the Petoi Bittle not only recognized him but also tracked his movements (just like you can see in the video above).

After exploring the tracking behavior of Bittle, naturally, Simon wanted to continue his research and see how he could run an ML model and begin to print some kind of output from the camera.  He went through a system design exercise, theorizing different ways he could potentially leverage the camera to adjust the Bittle’s behaviour and the various trade-offs each setup would have, including control everything locally on a Raspberry Pi.  You can read more about his findings in this blog here.

Bittle Robot Dog Sees and Walks Toward Me

Our team was delighted to receive a brilliant submission from a user who goes by the name "mzandtheraspberrypi". The submission highlighted a fantastic robotics project that explains how you can control a Bittle robot dog using computer vision by integrating it with the Intelligent Camera Module, and a Raspberry Pi Zero 2w. Specific details, a wonderful story of how all this came about, hardware and software setup for this IOT robot and more can be read in this article "Robot Dog Sees Me.

Bittle Robot Dog Autonomous Movement & Object Detection with Raspberry Pi

As the last AI IOT robot project on our list is one of the winning robotics project of the Summer 2024 Petoi Spring Challenge from Reid Graves.  Reid used a Raspberry Pi, a smart camera module and a custom-made servo arm to power a Bittle robotics kit with AI to detect acorns and pick them up from the floor  autonomously in real time.  Check out Reid's AI robotics project now!

Want to experiment with artificial intelligence and build your own AI Robotics projects?  Get your own Petoi Bittle robot dog for Raspberry Pi quadruped application development!

Our wonderful community at Petoi consistently leads the way in innovation and technological advancement. We are excited to feature Reid Graves, a winner of Petoi Spring 2024 Robotics Contest, in this article as he pushes the boundaries, innovates with Petoi Bittle smart coding robot dog, and discovers new applications for these open source AI robot pets.

When we launched the Spring Robotics Challenge and Contest in Q2, our goal was to encourage robotics education and innovation! 

One of our contests is called Bittle/Nybble's Got Talent. The scope of this contest was to showcase Petoi open source Nybble robot cat or Bittle robot dog to perform new tricks or doing something that one could see in a talent competition, like singing and dancing. While all the participants had fantastic ideas, a submission by Carnegie Mellon University graduate student Reid Graves stood out!  He sent us 2 videos of Petoi Bittle educational robot kit as part of his robot project entries that explore the AI robotics projects in action!

Reid's Bittle/Nybble's Got Talent contest winning video - Bittle four-legged robot searches for an acorn and picks it up

As you can see in the video, Reid's ingenious idea showcased Petoi quadruped robotics talent: not only the hardware and software, but also the AI automation as it was autonomously collecting acorns from the floor. What made this entry so special was that it outlined the extendable capabilities of the smart IOT quadruped robot as well!

In both videos, Reid attached a Raspberry Pi to Arduino Uno-compatible NyBoard microcontroller powering Bittle robotics kits.  The Raspberry Pi extension gives Reid more CPU power and memory and enables him to prorgram AI algorithms & do more processing. Next, Reid attached a small, inexpensive smart camera that he got from Amazon to Bittle robot dog, which served as the guide for the autonomous movement. He designed a light robot arm to pick up acorns from the floor:

The arm is driven by a Petoi servo. I hooked it up to one of the unused ports on the Nyboard and defined a custom action to move it to the right angle. The white thing on the back is to deposit physical pheromones. This is so I can run experiments with multiple robots and they can communicate with the pheromones.

For now, Reid used a custom You only look once (YOLO) model to program the robot to move, detect and pickup acorns autonomously in real time.

Reid's second video: robotics pheromone following

This video dives deeper into the project and showcases the AI Robot dog from the POV. In this video, Reid sets a bunch of pheromones down on the ground and has the robot follow the path. As you can see in the video, the camera window shows the surroundings and marks the yellow pills. The other three windows show the recognition's inference time, command issued, and operational time per frame.

Reid's Bittle integration with RaspBerry Pi and ROS2

Reid shared his autonomous swarm robotics Python projects from the CMU-MAIL(Mechanical and AI LAB) lab with Bittle robot dogs:

1. Using raspberry pi with python sockets                            
2. Using raspberry pi with ROS2 Humble

Reid's robotics learning journey with Bittle Open Source Robot Dogs

When we spoke with Reid, we were delighted to learn of his story and how he got his idea for these projects. Reid told us that he started working with Bittle open source robotics kits last September for a research project. His ultimate goal for the project is autonomous swarm behavior with a collection of Bittle robot dogs. (For instance: having 3 robots explore their environment looking for food, such as acorns, and working together to collect all the acorns.)

Starting off, Reid had minimal experience using Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ROS. We were extremely happy to know that, like many other students and enthusiasts who started working with Petoi Robots, Reid mentioned that he learned many new practical skills, such as Python socket communication, Linux command lines, GIT, OpenCV, YOLO, Raspberry Pi, and ROS2, just to name a few!

He also enlightened us about his ideas for the future. He plans to have a search function where his Petoi AI Robot pets automatically finds the acorns or any objects themselves. Further building on this, he wants to extend another servo so that he can unlock a new camera angle.  He intends to develop adaptive gate control so Bittle can hopefully walk on rough and uneven surfaces without falling.

About the Petoi Robot Challenge and Contest

The Petoi Robot Challenge and Contest is a fantastic way to learn and showcase robotics!  For the 1st edition, we were amazed by the fantastic level of participation: the simple programming by young kids to show engaging robotics movement, the use of artificial intelligence, and the excellent robot project entries we received!  The challenge was simple: based on the given contest themes (like Bittle/Nybble plays in the park and Young Roboticist, etc.), participants had to record a video and showed the video to the world.  The contest participants would get a chance to win exciting prizes like Amazon gift cards, coupons, or even a new Petoi Bittle or Petoi Nybble Robot!

To participate in the next installment of this edition, you can start learning robotics and coding, and combine your school project or college project with the robotics challenge and enter the competition. Here's a quick tip: Make sure to start your robot project a few months prior, so you, just like Reid, can explore more and dive deeper into your findings as well!

So which other robotics project won? Looking to know more about all the winners of the Robot Challenge? Read about all the Spring 2024 Robot Challenge winners:

Robotics competitions serve as a fantastic platform for the practical use of robotics theory. They provide the perfect space for students and enthusiasts to showcase their competitive side through the conceptual application of programming and intelligent robot mechanics.

In this article, we will share some quadruped robot competition ideas for Petoi Bittle robot dog & Petoi Nybble robot cat that will transform the classroom into an engaging and interactive learning environment. From obstacle courses, and dance challenges to battles, these competitions are designed to spark curiosity and inspire learning and innovation among students.
We've made a special effort to list competitions that are easy to design and simple to implement and deploy.
For all the competitions mentioned below, four-legged Petoi Pets can be controlled through 2 modes:

• Easy Mode -  controlled through the Petoi Mobile app
• Programming mode - controlled by programming the Petoi educational robot robots using languages like Python, C++, or simple Scratch-like block-based coding.  More advanced students can also employ AI to make Petoi robots smarter with IoT(Internet of Things) sensors or use Rapsberry Pi on top of Petoi robots to run more sophisticated AI algorithms.

Competition Ideas 

1. Racing/ Obstacle Courses

When it comes to structuring a competition on the fly, the easiest individual or team competition idea is to create an obstacle course. An obstacle course is easy to design anywhere and can be created using objects as obstacles like books, boxes, bags, small rocks, or anything readily available. Here are some further examples:

• Ball control

  The ball control course is one of the easiest to create. All you need is a little bit of space and a small ball. This game can be played individually or with teams. The objective of the game is to push the ball with the robot from the start to the finish line. The team to cross the finish line first wins the game! You can make this an AI robotics competition by requiring robot pets to autonomously locate and push the ball without human interventions.

• Navigation through obstacles

  You can split the class into two teams, hand each team one Bittle smart robot dog or  Nybble smart robot cat, and ask them to complete an obstacle course with barriers like rocks and slope. The team that completes the course faster wins!   Or you can set up multiple areas with the same course for all the teams to compete together. Another navigation course form is Maze: Design identical courses on either side of the room to create a maze navigation course. With both the courses converging at the center, both teams start navigating the course with their Petoi pet at the same time and whichever team crosses the maze and reaches the center first, wins!

• Line course

  You can use tape to create shapes like circles, triangles, and rectangles on the floor. The goal is for the robot to travel right on top of the line and reach the end of the course in the fastest time possible.

Designed as a robot for AI projects, students can also have the Bittle autonomously navigate the course with AI!

Guaranteed to create a buzz of excitement and roar from the competing teams, the racing/obstacle course is an affordable competition idea that will test knowledge of robot control, quadruped movement, and spatial awareness.

Here's a robot obstacle course with a Bittle robot dog equiped with a distance sensor in action:

2. Singing & Dancing Competitions

Did you know that Bittle coding robot dogs & Nybble coding robot cats can be programmed to sing and dance? Suitable for elementary students and younger demographics, Petoi Bittle is a perfect option for singing and dancing competitions. 

Setting up such competitions for kids requires minimal setup but provides maximum engagement. Unlike more advanced STEM competitions that can be intimidating and require extensive preparation, singing and dancing contests are accessible and fun, encouraging creativity and teamwork. Students can quickly program their robot pets to perform simple routines to DIY new dance moves, making the learning process enjoyable and less daunting!

On Petoi's learning center, you can find a step-by-step breakdown of how to program and code Petoi Bittle or Petoi Nybble for singing and dancing. Click here to learn how.
Singing and Dancing competitions will enable students to gain an understanding of Block-Based robot coding which will further help them lay the foundation for complex Python and C++ robot projects in the future!

3. Game Competitions

a) Soccer Games

Robotics soccer games are competitive and encompass advanced robotics knowledge and understanding. K12 and college educators can set up robot soccer games and competitions by creating a simple playing field using tape to mark boundaries and small goals at each end. They can then guide students through the process of programming their Petoi robotics pets to move, kick a small ball, and navigate around obstacles. By participating in these soccer games, students will gain a deeper understanding of how the robots' sensors, motors, and codes work together to perform tasks in a physical world. This hands-on experience allows them to see the immediate impact of their programming efforts, reinforcing their learning and helping them grasp complex robotics concepts in a fun and practical way. 

Here is an example of a soccer game in action:

 

b) Robot Battles

If you would like to take the thrill of competition to the next level, there's nothing better than an all-out Petoi Bittle Battle! Suitable for elenmentary, middle, school, igh school and university students, Robot battles and competitions are a fantastic way to encourage learning and growth through collaboration and teamwork.

Educators can set up simple arenas where students program their robots to engage in friendly battles, focusing on tasks like pushing opponents out of a designated area or avoiding obstacles while maneuvering strategically. These competitions not only make learning robotics fun but also foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills through game strategy design, planning and coding implementation.  By experimenting with different strategies and refining their code to improve performance, students gain a deeper understanding of robotics concepts and learn to adapt and innovate, preparing them for more advanced challenges in the future. 

As seen in the video below, we would attach 3D printed horns or some equivalent to Bittle's head to battle each other. 

 

Robotics learning can be fun and accessible through such robotics competitions. As always the greater idea is to spark lifelong student interest in STEM fields through such competitions and hands-on learning.

Still thinking of which competition idea to implement? 
Take inspiration from the Petoi Spring 2024 Robotics Challenge. As part of the Spring Robotics challenge, students and enthusiasts worldwide recorded & submitted their unique interactions with Petoi Pets (based on contest themes) and won exciting prizes!

Take a look at the winners of the challenge:

If you have any suggestions or are interested in running a robotics competition for your robotics camp or institution, please feel free to contact us.

Did you know that with Petoi Bittle/Bittle X, there are multiple 3D-printed accessories that you can create to use and interact with your Petoi robot dogs? From Beetle horns to Fox heads, and Bittle stands to Lego Covers, you can use our free open-source 3D-printed accessory designs as you build your Robot Dog! In this article, we will share a list of the top 3D printable upgrades to pair with your smart robot dog. We'll also provide free design links to the STL files, so you can go straight to the designs and start printing! 

Note that all of the accessories mentioned below are compatible with Bittle and Bittle X.

Bittle Stand

One of the most popular and useful accessories for Petoi Bittle is this 3D-printed stand. Securely place your Bittle robot with this stand or use them as you are building and programming the robot. Educators love to use this stand as they demonstrate and teach students about Petoi Bittle movements during school projects . The stand also features inbuilt calibration references and allows the robot to move its legs freely when programming without running around to mess things up. Here is a video showcasing the stand in action:

Lego Cover

Starting things off, take your DIY Robot to the next level with this robot cover. This Lego cover is an alternative backside for Petoi Bittle that enables users to expand on it with various Lego bricks. With this Lego cover, elevate your pet robot experience as you can use Bittle to attach custom lego boxes to carry or transport things from one place to another or . Particularly helpful to design projects and challenges, educators and young students are huge fans of this cover as it sparks curiosity and tests their imagination!

Highbar Hook

Highbar Hooks take Bittle off the ground! Another fantastic movement to explore with your DIY Robot is pole spins and rotations. Once you 3D-Print and attach these high bar hooks to Petoi Bittle, you can hang the Bittle from a horizontal pole and maneuver it to spin and rotate around the pole. These hooks are a fantastic way to learn distinct robot movements and understand the 3-Dimensional logic behind robot movement.

Wide Feet

Expand the Bittle to even more challenging terrain with wide feet. While Petoi Bittle is known to traverse all terrain, when you want to push it to the absolute limit, you can also opt for 3-D printed wide feet. Imparting even more stability and giving the robot a higher stance, the feet are a great addition to the sturdiness of Petoi Bittle.

Animal Accessories

Petoi Bittle dog is a small smart quadruped robot with a lot of character and distinct features. Don't get us wrong, we love the original form of our AI robot pets, however, there are many tiny animal accessories that you can 3D-Print to give your quadruped a new avatar to keep the fun going. While the main body of the robot will remain the same, these small accessories are easy to put on and will transform your pets into various creatures for you to interact, play, program and learn with!
Here are a few examples:

a) Beetle Horn

As you can see in the video above, the 3D printed Beetle horn is one of the most popular accessories to pair with a Bittle Robot Dog. Once you print the horn, remove the dog face and attach the Beetle Horn to your robot. The horn can be used like an arm to push objects and to play friendly battles between Bittles. The Beetle horn is a fantastic way to relearn and explore Petoi Bittle movement, spatial awareness, and robot mechanics! b) Fox head With the Fox head you can change the appearance of your robot pet. Just detach the Bittle dog head and change it with the fox head to unlock fully new experience and perosnality with your quadruped pet!

 

c) Bone

Every dog loves to clamp a bone on its mouth.  So does Bittle robot dog.  Print a bone and give Bittle a treat!

So which one of these accessories would you like to 3D print first? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Interested in learning about how to program and code a pet robot? Click on the image below to access our free robotics learning resources and curriculum.