A Novel Miniaturized Implementation of the Minitaur Quadruped: Design, Gait Control, and Experimental Validation

We present the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a novel miniature quadruped robot, drawing inspiration from the Ghost Robotics Minitaur platform. This work is primarily motivated by the desire to explore the significant benefits of scale reduction for legged locomotion, including lower cost, enhanced portability, and the ability to operate effectively in constrained environments. Our approach meticulously retains the core mechanical and kinematic features of the original Minitaur, adapting them to a much smaller scale. The robot's development involved integrating 3D-printed structural components (PLA), readily available off-the-shelf micro servos, and an Arduino Pro Mini for control. We specifically addressed key engineering challenges inherent in downscaling, such as achieving a compact chassis design, managing power efficiently within strict weight limits, and implementing robust gait control algorithms, including inverse kinematics for trot gait. Quantitative evaluation of the prototype demonstrates its performance: it successfully operates at a sub-0.5 kg mass, achieves forward speeds of approximately 0.15 m/s, and draws around 1050 mAh at 5 V during continuous motion. A comparative analysis highlights the critical trade-offs when contrasted with the original Minitaur (6 kg, ∼2.0 m/s) and other similar DIY (do-it-yourself) micro-quadrupeds, notably their differing kinematic approaches. Our results conclusively demonstrate that full locomotion capabilities can be successfully retained in a highly compact form factor, representing a significant advancement in the development of more accessible and versatile legged robotic platforms.