Every tech firm that makes robot dogs sticks with the same headless design. Xiaomi is no different when it developed its first Cyberdog. However, one year on, things have changed. Recently, the company unveiled its second-generation Cyberdog, aptly called Cyberdog 2.
Right off the bat, Xiaomi Cyberdog 2 [CH] is noticeably smaller. Though it shares the same, almost universal quadruped design (backward bending knees), the new Cyberdog 2 looks more like an actual dog – complete with a head.
Speaking of legs, it looks similar to the first but the proportions are new which enables it to pull off some really cool tricks. More on that in a bit.
There’s a good reason for the biomimicry. From the video presentation, it looks like Xiaomi’s idea of a robot dog is not for commercial applications like say Boston Dynamics with Spot; it leans towards a pet. Anyways, I could be wrong. However, I am quite confident that I am not wrong because it now has a head that makes it more, well, approachable which is the first step towards being a pet.
Moreover, a head for commercial application would only impede the payload which may need a clear, uninterrupted back. So it would make no sense. The head’s design is based on the Doberman Pinscher, btw. Why? I have absolutely no idea.
Together with a more organically shaped body, it does look more like an actual dog. Driving this robot dog are no less than 12 Xiaomi-developed micro-motors known as CyberGear and an advanced motion control algorithm that enables Cyberdog 2 not to get pushed over and even if it did get pushed over, it can make a super quick recovery.
In addition, Cyberdog 2 is able to make front and back flip, pull off Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, do ballet moves, push-ups, and even ride a skateboard and get off without falling over.
It is armed with multiple sensors to recognize where the way, recognize you and hear you. The sensors include an Intel RealSense D430 depth camera, an 1 MP RGB camera, a 146° FoV fish eye lens camera, a 13 MP AI interactive camera, a touch sensor, a TG30 laser sensor, an ultrasonic, ToF, and 4 microphone array.
Bringing all these together is an AI multi-modal fusion perception decision-making system and 21-TOPS of computing power offered by an NX chip with dual co-processors.
The Cyberdog 2 will respond to app control using a smartphone, UWB Bluetooth remote, and voice. It can recognize gestures too.
Right now, Xiaomi Cyberdog 2 is only available to developers for 12,999 yuan (roughly US$1,782).
Images: Xiaomi [CH].
