🐕 Robot Dog• prototype• medium
Jamoca
by Tencent Robotics X
Released: 2020
💰 Research prototype, not commercially available
Jamoca is a four-legged robot dog developed by Tencent Robotics X Lab, announced in November 2020, showcasing advanced mobility capabilities by performing challenging tasks inspired by Chinese Kung Fu, such as walking on quincuncial plum blossom piles with irregular spacing (20-50 cm) and small 20 cm diameter cylinders, after climbing a 60 cm step at 20° incline. It excels in precise perception using RGB-D cameras for real-time environmental sensing, robust eye-foot calibration, feature point matching for motion tracking, and fusion of vision, kinematics odometry, and IMU data for positioning accuracy within 1 cm. Jamoca features 10 ms route planning and 1 kHz real-time torque control based on center of mass dynamics and ground reaction force optimization, enabling stable walking, diagonal trotting, running, and jumping with landing errors under 1 cm. Targeted at advancing next-generation human-machine collaborative robotics research, it demonstrates high coordination in perception, motion planning, control, and system design for complex terrain navigation.
2.0 m/s (Standard research pace) m/s
Max Speed
12 (3 per leg)
Total DOF
60–90 minutes (Research session duration) min
Runtime
5–10 kg kg
Max Payload
Full Specifications
Physical Design
Body Length914 mm (approx. 3 feet) mm
Standing Height600 mm
Body Width450 mm
Weight70 kg kg
Number of Legs4
Total DOF12 (3 per leg)
DOF Per Leg3
MaterialsHigh-strength aluminum alloy and specialized lightweight composites
Locomotion & Gait
Supported Gaitswalk, trot, run, jump, stair-climbing
Max Speed2.0 m/s (Standard research pace) m/s
Max Climb Angle20° (Inclined steps)°
Vertical Leap0.5 m m
Max Step Height60 cm
Terrain Capabilitiesquincuncial piles, irregular spacing, inclined steps, complex terrain
Actuation System
Actuator TypeHigh-performance brushless DC motors
TransmissionHigh-precision Gearbox
Compliancecompliant
Payload & Manipulation
Max Payload5–10 kg kg
Manipulator Armno
Sensing & Perception
LiDAROptional (Primary sensing is vision-based)
Depth CamerasFront-facing RGB-D cameras (Stereo vision)
IMUHigh-precision IMU for real-time body state estimation
GPSno
Obstacle Detectionperception with 1 cm accuracy
Tactile SensorsFoot-end force perception via motor current and torque feedback
Autonomy & Navigation
Autonomous Navyes
SLAMYes (Vision-based positioning fused with kinematics)
Remote ControlYes (Used for high-level mission initiation)
TeleoperationSupported via low-latency internal Tencent protocols
Control & Software
CommunicationEthernet, WiFi, CAN
ROS SupportYes (Internal research architecture is ROS-compatible)
SDK/APIInternal Tencent Robotics X SDK
SimulationGazebo, MuJoCo
Control Modesreal-time torque control, force control
Onboard ComputeHigh-performance industrial PC (integrated into the torso)
Power & Battery
Battery Capacity800 Wh Wh
Runtime60–90 minutes (Research session duration) min
Charging Time120 minutes min
Power Sourcebattery
Reliability & Safety
Operating Temp0 to 40°C
CertificationsResearch Prototype
Emergency StopSoftware-based torque cut-off
Applications
Use Casesresearch, mobility demonstration
Industriesrobotics research
Commercial
PriceResearch prototype, not commercially available
Order Lead TimeNot for sale
WarrantyN/A
SupportInternal Tencent R&D
CountriesChina (Research only)
Other Notable Features
1 kHz real-time torque control, 10 ms route planning, landing error within 1 cm
Image Gallery
Below images are from Tencent Robotics X's official sources
Review Videos
Jamoca Review Video ...
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Jamoca Review Video ...
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the robot dog Jamoca, and what problem does it solve?▼
Jamoca is a four-legged mobile robot developed by Tencent Robotics X Lab, announced in November 2020. The robot was designed to demonstrate advanced mobility capabilities in complex terrain environments, particularly for navigating challenging surfaces that test perception, planning, and control systems in quadruped locomotion research.
2. What are the main capabilities and key features of Jamoca?▼
According to Tencent Robotics X, Jamoca can walk, run, trot diagonally, and jump similar to a biological dog. The robot is engineered to navigate irregular terrain with small foot-spacing and high-altitude obstacles. It demonstrates capabilities in terrain understanding, precise footing selection, and steady movement across complex surfaces.
3. Who is Jamoca built for, and which industries benefit from it?▼
Jamoca was developed as a research platform by Tencent Robotics X Lab to advance quadruped robot technology. The lab focuses on mobility, dexterous operation, and intelligent agent research. While primarily a research prototype, the underlying technologies target applications in inspection, navigation, and autonomous systems development.
4. Is Jamoca a commercial product or a research prototype?▼
Jamoca is a research platform developed by Tencent Robotics X Lab rather than a commercial product. The robot serves as a testbed for advancing quadruped mobility research and demonstrating technological capabilities in challenging terrain navigation scenarios.
5. Is Jamoca currently available for purchase?▼
Jamoca is not available for commercial purchase. The robot remains a research platform operated by Tencent Robotics X Lab for internal development and demonstration purposes rather than a consumer or enterprise product offering.
6. How does Jamoca perform in real-world environments and rough terrain?▼
Jamoca demonstrated performance on quincuncial piles, a traditional Chinese obstacle consisting of irregularly-spaced cylinders. The robot successfully navigated this terrain while also climbing a steep inclined step, showcasing its ability to handle complex spatial arrangements and varying surface heights.
7. When was Jamoca announced or officially launched?▼
Tencent Robotics X Lab announced Jamoca in November 2020. The announcement included demonstrations of the robot walking on quincuncial piles, a challenging terrain configuration used to evaluate quadruped mobility and perception capabilities.
8. How does Jamoca compare to other quadruped robot dogs?▼
According to Tencent researchers, Jamoca was the first quadruped robot globally to challenge walking in smaller foot-space configurations and at higher altitudes compared to other quadruped robots at the time of its announcement. The robot's design emphasizes perception and control capabilities for complex terrain navigation.
9. Does Jamoca support third-party software development or SDKs?▼
Available search results do not provide information regarding software development kits, APIs, or third-party development support for Jamoca. The robot appears to be operated primarily as an internal research platform by Tencent Robotics X Lab.
10. What is the future roadmap or planned upgrades for Jamoca?▼
Available search results do not specify future development plans or upgrades for Jamoca. Tencent Robotics X Lab has continued advancing quadruped technology through subsequent platforms, including the multimodal robot Max announced in 2021, which incorporates leg and wheel hybrid locomotion.