Just when you thought your weekend project list was getting manageable, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has decided to kick it into high gear. The renowned Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) has just open-sourced the blueprints for ARTEMIS, its full-sized, soccer-playing humanoid robot. So, clear some space in the garage; the era of the Build-Your-Own-Humanoid (BYOH) movement has officially, and perhaps terrifyingly, begun.
For those unfamiliar with ARTEMIS, this isn’t your average tin can. Standing 4 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing in at 85 pounds, ARTEMIS is a marvel of dynamic locomotion. During lab tests, it clocked a walking speed of 2.1 meters per second, making it the world’s fastest walking humanoid robot at the time of its debut. More impressively, it was the first humanoid from an academic lab—and only the third ever—capable of breaking into a run, meaning it can achieve a full flight phase with both feet off the ground.
This is the bipedal bot that has been tested on the uneven grounds of the UCLA campus and competed in the international RoboCup soccer tournament, a proving ground for autonomous robots with the audacious goal of beating a human World Cup team by 2050.
The Secret Sauce: Electric Muscles and Fancy Footwork
So, what makes ARTEMIS so nimble? The innovation lies in its actuators—the components that convert energy into motion. Instead of the rigid, position-controlled motors found in most robots, ARTEMIS uses custom-designed “proprioceptive actuators.” In layman’s terms, these actuators are force-controlled and springy, designed to behave more like biological muscles. This allows the robot to “feel” the ground and its own movements, granting it superior balance and the ability to absorb impacts, which is crucial for walking on rough terrain or, say, getting shoved.
This bio-inspired design is a significant departure from the noisy, leak-prone hydraulic systems used by some of its famous cousins. ARTEMIS is 100% electrically actuated, making it quieter and more efficient. The result is a robot that can not only walk and run but can do so with an unnerving grace, as demonstrated by its performance on the soccer pitch.
“That is the key behind its excellent balance while walking on uneven terrain and its ability to run,” said Dennis Hong, a UCLA professor and the director of RoMeLa. “This is a first-of-its-kind robot.”
And lest you think it’s all just academic theory, here’s ARTEMIS in action at RoboCup, putting its 20 degrees of freedom to work.
Open Source, Some Assembly Required
In a move that sends a powerful message to the more secretive corners of the robotics industry, RoMeLa has laid its cards on the table. The open-source release is not just a whitepaper; it’s a comprehensive toolkit for aspiring roboticists.
The repository provides access to a treasure trove of engineering data, including:
- Full CAD models (available on OnShape)
- Designs for the Motor Driver
- Specifications for the USB Adapter, E-Stop, BMS, and Charger
- The robot’s URDF (Unified Robot Description Format) model for simulation
This release effectively provides a foundational platform for any university or well-funded hobbyist to build their own advanced humanoid. While the software and controllers are noted as a future release, the hardware alone represents a monumental head start, democratizing research that has been the exclusive domain of a few corporate and academic giants.
A Kick in the Right Direction
By open-sourcing ARTEMIS, UCLA and RoMeLa are doing more than just sharing a cool project; they are accelerating the entire field. This allows researchers worldwide to build upon a proven, high-performance platform, saving years of foundational work. It’s a direct challenge to the walled-garden approach and a testament to the power of academic collaboration.
While you probably won’t be assembling an Artemis in your living room this weekend, this release signals a major shift. The future of robotics may not be built in secret labs, but in shared repositories and collaborative communities. The age of the BYOH is here, and it’s starting with a world-class, soccer-playing robot. Your move, everyone else.
