Petoi’s lineup of entry-level pet robots has steadily captured the imagination of makers, educators, and hobbyists ever since the plywood Nybble famously graced the cover of Make: Volume 70. Over the years, subsequent releases like the Bittle X and the Nybble Q have established themselves as some of the most charming, responsive quadrupedal robots available to consumer enthusiasts. Now, Petoi is pushing the boundaries of affordable desktop robotics even further with the official launch of the Quaddle, a brand-new model designed from the ground up to be smarter, more durable, and significantly more accessible than any of its predecessors.
The Quaddle arrives on the market available in three distinct versions tailored for different user preferences and project goals: the Builder, the Buddy, and the Scout. Across all three iterations, one of the most immediate visual and functional changes is the replacement of the traditional plastic faceplate with an expressive OLED screen. This upgrade allows the robot to display a much wider range of nuanced, lifelike facial expressions while simultaneously functioning as a readout for important diagnostic data. In addition to the revamped interface, internal engineering updates have streamlined the hardware layout. Sensors that were previously distributed across individual bone-shaped circuit boards have now been fully integrated directly into the robot’s main body, reducing complexity and increasing overall reliability. The primary design objective behind these changes is to position the Quaddle as the ultimate out-of-the-box solution for anyone taking their very first steps into the exciting world of walking robotics.
Achieving this new tier of accessibility and affordability, however, required a massive engineering overhaul behind the scenes. To drive production costs down without sacrificing functionality, Petoi re-evaluated the mechanical layout of the robot’s limbs. Traditional quadruped designs often rely on two servo motors per leg, but the engineering team managed to reduce this requirement to just a single servo per leg. To compensate for the reduction in motors and maintain dynamic movement, they developed an innovative leg mechanism that leverages clever mechanical geometry and springs to achieve complex locomotion, including the ability to perform dynamic actions like backflips.
Dr. Rongzhong Li, the founder of Petoi, reportedly spent two full years living at the servo manufacturing facility to oversee the development process firsthand, collaborating closely with engineers to co-design the robot and its specialized servos simultaneously. Following countless iterations, extensive testing, and significant manufacturing hurdles, the resulting hardware is not only far more durable than previous models but also dramatically more affordable. Despite these sweeping hardware modifications, the Quaddle remains deeply rooted in the maker ecosystem by retaining full support for OpenCat, the open-source software platform that allows users to write, modify, and share custom behaviors and movement routines with a vibrant global community.
Early demonstrations of the Quaddle have highlighted its impressive capabilities, including built-in object-tracking behavior and a smooth new sliding trick showcased during recent remote developer previews. Furthermore, the user experience has been simplified in the field: operators can now record brand-new motions and calibrate the onboard servos directly on the hardware itself, entirely removing the initial requirement to connect to a computer for basic tuning. While early review samples occasionally required a bit of finessing to trigger specific demo behaviors—largely due to running pre-release firmware that has since been updated with additional polish and refined features—the overall hardware platform points to a maturing ecosystem for open-source quadruped robotics.
For those eager to experience the platform firsthand before physical kits ship, Petoi has made an online simulator publicly available, allowing users to test movement algorithms and explore the robot’s interface directly in a browser. Alongside the digital simulator, the physical hardware is officially launching via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, giving backers an early opportunity to secure kits. For enthusiasts attending upcoming industry events, the Quaddle will also be on display in person at the upcoming Maker Faire Bay Area, as well as at Maker Faire Shenzhen, providing the public with a hands-on look at the next evolution of Petoi’s approachable robotic pets.
