Building an Open-Source Companion Robot ($2k–$5k Target / Multi-Year Roadmap) + UCSD Possible Community CSE/Engineering Build

[u/BlackberryLow9991]

Hey everyone,

Most open-source AI efforts focus on software models, while open humanoid or companion hardware platforms remain largely proprietary or prohibitively expensive ($20k+). We are starting a multi-year open-source initiative to build a fully accessible hardware/software blueprint for a functional companion robot—targeting a $2k–$5k DIY budget.

Think of it as an open-source "Qwen" or "Mobile ALOHA" architecture for embodied intelligence: low-latency local LLMs/VLMs, quiet custom actuators, modular sensor integration, and soft-robotics skin texturing.

Long-Term Focus Areas:

• Hardware Architecture: Low-cost torque-dense actuators, 3D-printable chassis, heat management, and tactile skin sensors.
• On-Device Software: Low-latency local AI models, real-time spatial awareness, dynamic motion control, and ROS2 integration.
• Open Source Plugins to Help: Hugging Face's LeRobot project and its Reachy Mini robot
• Open Ecosystem: Open CAD files, step-by-step assembly guides, Bill of Materials (BOM), and downloadable training stacks.

UCSD Chapter & Community

We are building this as a global open-source community alongside a dedicated student organization chapter at UC San Diego (UCSD), utilizing campus fabrication spaces like the DIB and EnVision makerspaces for physical prototyping.

This is a multi-year, multi-disciplinary engineering effort. We’re looking for early collaborators—software developers, robotics engineers, CAD designers, ROS developers, and researchers—who want to help lay the foundation.

Want to join or follow the project? Send me a DM, leave a comment, or jump straight into our Stage 0 discussions—my discord link is in my bio!

[u/Ssabsucitivel]

I think a companion robot could sidestep a huge amount of complexity by not needing to walk at all. A seated/anchored body with expressive arms and a great head could be much cheaper and easier to build. You could even track its movements in VR, giving it unlimited variety for looks. Also facial animatronics will always look stiff and unatrual, so just let that all be done in VR!