Hello guys, welcome back. In the previous post, we discussed DIY Boston Dynamics little dog robot named Bittle, the companion robot dog. Bittle is a remarkably cute and smart dog robot. Bittle resembles the appearance and motions of a real dog with remarkable attention to detail. Bittle captivates everyone it comes into contact with because of its small shape and rapid mobility. This four-legged robot pet has sophisticated sensors that enable it to navigate its surroundings and interact with its surroundings. People of all ages enjoy and benefit from Bittle’s pleasant and outgoing temperament, which makes it the ideal companion. Bittle embodies the spirit of a devoted and loving canine friend despite being a robot, whether it’s sprinting, playing fetch, or wagging its tail with enthusiasm.

Well I have an amazing update about this little canine robot. It is true! Now, Bittle can hear you, it will respond to your spoken commands. Amazing, isn’t that? Well, this robot has more features than only voice control. We have more fantastic developments.

Let’s explore the latest features of the Petoi robot dog, BittleX, in further detail and know how to make your own DIY robot dog.

Bittle – The Companion Robot Dog

Is Bittle a real animal? For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bittle, let us have a look at him. Bittle is a four-legged robotic dog created specifically for people who are passionate about electronics and DIY robotics. The best thing about it is that you can create it, customize it, and add new components and actions by using a variety of platforms such as the Petoi mobile phone app, Arduino, Python, and many others.It is made to be compatible with anything! The price is also the finest part.

Everyone can afford Bittle; after all, we’ve always wanted a Boston Dynamics Spot, don’t we? You can now purchase a more cheap, scaled-down version of the same. Try this robot dog for your DIY robotics projects.

BittleX – The Newer Robot Dog

Are Bittle and BittleX same? What differentiates them apart from one another? Well, the latest version of Bittle is powered by a new motherboard known as BiBoard, which has its own built-in audio module with 35 predefined voice commands. You can now use voice commands to control your Bittle robot. The cost of BittleX starts from $279,while the  previous version is around $329.

Voice Control – Talk with your Robot Dog

You may even change the language for your DIY Robot Dog BittleX from Chinese to English and English to Chinese by using distinctive voice commands. Another question you might be having would be, would it be possible to create your own voice instructions for controlling the dog robot? Absolutely the answer is yes! The user can now control the BittleX with their own voice commands. The voice module can record and recognize up to ten custom voice commands, allowing the robot to be programmed. Each custom command corresponds to a single custom action.

So, will this voice recognition module accurately recognise what we are saying? In my experience, this voice recognition module performs far better than others that are compatible with Arduino.

Motherboard – Powering the Robot Dog

In the last two versions of this robot, a motherboard called the NY board was used, which is essentially another version of the Arduino UNO and is compatible with a wide range of models that use Audino boards. However, with this new version of the robot, we have another much more advanced board called the Bi board, which is a far more powerful board than the previous one.

This board incorporates various sensors into the circuit, including the built-in audio controller module. Another great aspect of this board is that it uses a USB type C connector for serial communication as well as updating. This board also has a 2 x 3 socket for plugging in a Raspberry Pi and performing more complex activities using Bittle. This board can also drive 12 servo motors at the same time with no problems. And, the board is unquestionably superior to the prior board that we were using with the previous version. 

Adding Motion to your DIY Robot Dog – Servo Motors

When it comes to servo motors, they are used to connect various sections of its limbs and head for proper movement. Bittle’s earlier version used metal servo motors, but the new version uses plastic servo motors. This significantly contributes to the robot’s weight reduction. 

Puppy Eyes! Sensors for your Companion Robot Dog

Sensors are an essential component of a robot. So, in addition to the Audio sensor, there are a couple others that we can utilize to our benefit. There is an initial measurement unit on this board that constantly calculates the Orientation and acceleration of the entire device. This is a sensor that assists the robot in maintaining balance in its legs while operating.

This board also has an infrared receiver, allowing us to control Bittle using an infrared remote controller that comes with the kit. In addition, if we program it manually, we can use the sensor for various purposes.

Actually, there are some more amazing sensors that are available and can be linked externally using Bittle, in addition to the two sensors that are already integrated into this new board. Bittle has a clip-like head that can hold extensible modules. They assembled a sensor pack using well-known modules. Bittle has a clip-like head that can hold extensible modules. They assembled a sensor pack using well-known modules. 

Tying a Leash – Command and Control

How do we control this Robot Dog? There are several methods for controlling BittleX.

One method is to use an infrared remote controller. This remote controller unit is included with this kit. You may operate your robot from a line of sight distance with this remote controller. Another difference between the old and new versions of this robot is that the infrared reception sensor has moved from the back to the neck side. This is absolutely a good thing because the sensor is now more visible. When compared to the previous version, the chances of receiving an IR from the remote controller is increased.

Using a mobile application is another method of controlling the robot. From security sources, you can get a mobile application. As soon as you’ve downloaded and installed it on your phone, you can quickly couple it with your robot and use the phone to control it. Additionally, the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modems are both incorporated into this motherboard, which is a significant advance over the previous model. Therefore, unlike the previous version of the robot, we do not need to connect it externally to the motherboard. 

Using the mobile phone application, we can even calibrate the servo motors and adjust the offset position. If you are familiar with serial communication, you may also use Arduino or Python to control the robot by sending serial commands through USB.

Programming your Companion Robot Dog

The dog robot, BittleX can be programmed at various levels using various programming languages and applications. If you are a beginner, you can utilize tools such as Petoi Coding Blocks, which is an easy-to-use Graphical Drag and Drop coder, with all new Petoi Robots, which enable both wired and wireless connections. You might also experiment with it using software such as Petoi Desktop App or Tinkergen CodeCraft.

If you are more advanced and are familiar with Arduino or Python programming, you might begin working on the Bittle robot with the Arduino IDE, Python, and Raspberry Pi. At this level of programming, you will have more opportunity to change various aspects of the robot’s operation. For example, you can customise and adjust your robot’s abilities to walk on different sorts of terrain.

But if you are just learning Arduino, don’t worry. You can learn about four-legged robots from scratch with the help of the free robotics curriculum offered by Petoi. You could work on several machine-learning platforms to develop motion planning algorithms if you are an accomplished programmer or if you are conducting research.

Now Lets Adopt a Robot Dog!

If you wish to get BittleX, simply click on the link below, which will take you to the main product page. And the best part is that you’ll get a discount if you buy it through the link below. So don’t give up this chance to possess your own miniature version of Boston dynamics. Make your own DIY dog robot and have fun!

Are you ready to adopt Bittle? Click here to buy your Bittle. You will receive an additional discount by using this link.