Mini Cheetah
AI Chatby MIT
United StatesReleased: 2018
Last updated:
The Mini Cheetah is a compact quadrupedal robot developed by MIT researchers, designed for dynamic locomotion and acrobatic maneuvers. Measuring 48 cm in length, 30 cm in height, and 27 cm in width, it weighs approximately 9 kg. Each of its four legs features three identical high-torque, low-inertia motor modules, providing 3 degrees of freedom per leg and 12 actuated degrees of freedom total, plus 6 non-actuated for a total of 18 DOF. It integrates a Vectornav VN-100 IMU, hall-effect encoders, and an onboard UP Board with quad-core Intel Atom processor running Linux for real-time control. The robot excels in high-speed trotting up to 8.7 mph (3.84 m/s) on uneven terrain, performs backflips and other gymnastic feats, supports omnidirectional gaits like pronking, bounding, and pacing, and can turn in place at 5 rad/s. Its modular, backdrivable actuators with 6:1 gear reduction enable resilience to high-impact falls and rapid force changes for jumping and agile movements. Primarily targeted at robotics research, it demonstrates advanced control for locomotion, recovery, and learning-based adaptation.
What Can Mini Cheetah Do?
Core operational tasks and activities demonstrated or performed by Mini Cheetah.
Real-World Applications of Mini Cheetah
Industries, working environments, and deployment suitability for Mini Cheetah.
Mini Cheetah Capabilities
Inherent physical, perceptual, and cognitive abilities built into Mini Cheetah.
Image Gallery
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Review Videos
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Full Specifications
Other Notable Features
self-righting capability, survives high-impact falls, modular design for repairs, omnidirectional movement, in-place turning at 5 rad/s
Mini Cheetah vs MARVEL, GENISOM L1 W and HyQReal
Mini Cheetah overlaps with these alternatives on Construction and Dangerous or high-risk work. Mini Cheetah leads this group on max speed but trails on weight.
Industries and capabilities are tags, not scores: a tick means the robot is listed for it. Green marks the best figure in a row (highest max speed and max payload; lowest weight). Ranges are not ranked.
| Spec | Mini CheetahMIT | MARVELKAIST | GENISOM L1 WGenisom AI | HyQRealItalian Institute of Technology (IIT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industries | ||||
| Construction | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Dangerous or high-risk work | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Education and training | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hazardous environments | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Capabilities | ||||
| Learning | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Running | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial awareness | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Walking | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Max Speed | 3.84 m/s | 0.7 m/s | 5.5 m/s | 2 m/s |
| Max Payload | 2 kg | 3 kg | 10 kg | 50 kg |
| Runtime | 30–120 min | — | 60–120 min | 120 min |
| Weight | 9 kg | 8 kg | 20 kg | 130 kg |
| Size Class | mini | mini | mini | large |
Notes such as conditions or alternate figures are left out and values are shown in common units; open each page for the full specs. Browse all robot dogs
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