Note
XLeRobot 0.1.0 is officially out! The current version includes a detailed bill of materials, 3D printing models and instructions, and a step-by-step assembly guide. While the code is not yet available, you can run the teleoperation test on a single arm version (controlled with the other follower arm) directly using the original Lekiwi codebase. Here are some upcoming upgrades I am currently working on this month for XLeRobot 0.2.0, but I will only fully update the whole repo after all the plans and new demos are fully finished.
🚀 Bringing Embodied AI to Everyone - Cheaper Than an iPhone! 📱
💵 ~$660 cost and ⏰ <4hrs total assembly time!!
Built upon the giants: LeRobot, SO-100/SO-101, Lekiwi, Bambot
Let's break this down since XLeRobot = XL + LeRobot
|
|
-
Cost-effective 💴: Complete build costs $660, or upgrade from existing SO100Arm and Lekiwi for $250.
-
Easy upgrade ⏫ (physical and electrical) for Lekiwi and SO-100/SO-101
- Hardware: No motor ID changes or hardware modifications needed
- Software: Identical tabletop single-arm/dual-arm setup—transfer your trained policies directly from SO-100/SO-101 arm
-
Practical and reliable 💪: Performs many daily tasks comparable to $20,000 market alternatives.
-
Rich open-source resources 📕
- LeRobot's plug-and-play code🧩 and extensive AI model library🧠
- Backed by an active, growing community of contributors🧑🤝🧑
-
⚠️ Safety always matters⚠️ : XLeRobot has inherent physical hardware limitations (low-torque motors, short arm length, wheel-based) that make it physically almost incapable of harming humans, while still maintaining its ability to perform many household tasks.- Low-torque motors🦾: Even in the case of accidental contact, the robot is highly unlikely to cause injury. Additionally, its torque limitations prevent it from performing high-speed, dynamic movements.
- Short arm length🦵: In the unlikely event that it's holding a sharp object, the robot can be quickly disabled by tipping over the IKEA cart.
- Wheel-based🧑🦼➡️: It cannot climb over obstacles higher than 10cm, so you can easily restrict its movement using blocks or stairs in case of unauthorized access attempts.
These👆 are staged photos, but they demonstrate what the XLeRobot platform can achieve within its hardware limitations. (The scenes are a bit messy, but hey, that's life!)
Note
Currently a single-arm version implementing Lekiwi, teleoperated by the other follower arm at 3x speed.
Demo_0_0_1.mp4
Note
Cost excludes 3D printing, tools, shipping, and taxes.
| Price | US | EU | CN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build from Scratch | ~$660 | ~€650 | ~¥3900 |
| Upgrade from 2 SO100 arms | ~$400 | ~€440 | ~¥2400 |
| Upgrade from 1 Lekiwi (base + arm) | ~$370 | ~€350 | ~¥1900 |
| Upgrade from 1 Lekiwi and 1 SO100 arm | ~$250 | ~€240 | ~¥1200 |
For details please see Bill of Materials.
Note
I'm a hardware rookie myself, so I want to make this tutorial friendly for all fellow beginners.
Note
If you are totally new to programming, please spend at least a day to get yourself familiar with basic Python, Ubuntu and Github (with the help of Google and AI). At least you should know how to set up ubuntu system, git clone, pip install, use intepreters (VS Code, Cursor, Pycharm, etc.) and directly run commands in the terminals.
- 💵 Buy your parts: Bill of Materials
- 🖨️ Print your stuff: 3D printing
- 🔨
Avengers: Assemble! - 💻 Software: Get your robot moving!
Note
The content above provides efficient instructions for building the XLeRobot. The content below explains the project's purpose and vision in greater detail.
XLeRobot = Lekiwi + 1x SO-100/SO-101 arm + IKEA RÅSKOG Cart + Anker Battery
= 2x SO-100/SO-101 Arms + 3x omni wheels + RasberryPi + IKEA RÅSKOG Cart + Anker Battery
- Weight📏: ~12kg. Easily lifted by an adult.
- Workspace🦾:
- Height range: ~0.5m-1.25m from the ground
- Width range: ~0.36m from the cart edge.
- Capable of many household tasks.
- Battery🔋:
- 300W max out: sufficient for powering 12V version dual arm + lekiwi base + RasberryPi (~180W max)
- 288Wh capacity: can normally operate for 10hrs+
- 280W max in: 1hr to get fully charged
- Optional solar panels☀: for endless recharging
Note
All computing is handled by your PC—Raspberry Pi only manages data communication via WiFi 📶
|
|
Even when you're not actively using the robot, these two products remain valuable for everyday use.
Here's how you can control the robot and make it intelligent:
-
Joint (motor angle) control → leader-follower arm control
-
End effector pose control → VR remote control
Note
For the first version, we focus primarily on the hardware. The LeRobot code remains unmodified. You can recreate Demo 0.1.0 by connecting one arm to the RaspberryPi and the other to the desktop for remote control. The LeRobot code for XLeRobot will be updated soon as our top priority.
- Our lab: Rice RobotPI Lab
- Our vision includes using Caging in Time and Funnel-based Manipulation methods to achieve robust object manipulation in imperfect real-world conditions — including perception noise, network lag, and contact rich environments.
- Simulation platform (my personal preference): Maniskill
- 🚀Fast GPU acceleration for parallel simulations
- 🎨Beautiful photorealistic visuals through ray-tracing
- 🪶Lightweight, consistent, and user-friendly (compared to Isaac Lab, in my opinion)
- 🤖Support for multiple robots (including SO100 arm)
|
Urgent
|
|
In the near future
|
Note
While fancier upgrades are totally possible (like switching to a Jetson processor, upgrading the chassis, or using better motors), these would contradict this project's core mission: creating the world's most affordable, easy-to-install, plug-and-play universal robot opensource platform. But these upgrades can be listed as optional add-ons in the future instead of the main track.
(software updates will also depend on the development of LeRobot community)
|
Urgent
|
|
In the near future
|
- 🚀 Startups & Labs: Build prototypes faster with the world's cheapest modular platform
- 👩🔬 Self Researchers: Experiment with embodied AI without breaking the bank 💸
- 🎓 Education Heroes:
- High School Teachers: Bring cutting-edge robotics to STEM classes 🧪
- University Professors: Affordable platform for robotics/AI courses 📚
- Students: From beginners to researchers 🎒→🎓
- 🤖 DIY Enthusiasts: Perfect for indoor projects - plant care, delivery bots, home automation 🌱📦
(Hey, for this price, what more could you ask for?)
- 🔒 Fixed height—adding a stable lifting platform would significantly increase costs and assembly difficulty
- 📏 Smaller workspace compared to Aloha—while we maximize the SO100 workspace, the arm has size limitations, though XLeRobot still handles most tasks effectively
- ⚖️ Limited payload capacity for a single arm—that's why we use the IKEA cart
- 🛒 Base movement precision may be affected by the IKEA cart wheels—this can be addressed through closed-loop feedback control
All things considered—cost, community support, ease of assembly, and practical utility—XLeRobot stands out as one of the most compelling low-cost robot for indoor application!
Currently just me. Will definitely update this list when more people join this open source project in the future. They will also be added to the citation list as one of the authors.
This is just a small brick in the pyramid, made possible by LeRobot, SO-100, Lekiwi, and Bambot. Thanks to all the talented contributors behind these detailed and professional projects.
Looking forward to collaborating with anyone interested in contributing to this project!
Note
Currently too busy with my paper deadline, will pubilcly seek collaborations and investments starting from July.2025.
Not affiliated with Anker or IKEA (but we love Swedish meatballs! 🍝)
If you want, you can cite this work with:
@misc{wang2025xlerobot,
author = {Wang, Gaotian},
title = {XLeRobot: A Practical Low-cost Household Dual-Arm Mobile Robot Design for General Manipulation},
howpublished = "\url{https://github.com/Vector-Wangel/XLeRobot}",
year = {2025}
}Will definitely add more authors (such as developers from LeRobot and Lekiwi after I personally confirming with them) in the future.
Note
If you build a XLeRobot based on this repo, you will be fully responsible for all the physical and mental damages it does to you or others.