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TOPS—short for Traverser of Planar Surfaces—is an open-source, 12-degree-of-freedom quadruped that can walk, trot, and dance. It is a substantial maker project inspired by James Bruton’s openDog V3, not a documented off-the-shelf robot kit: building one means sourcing components, fabricating parts, assembling custom actuators, and working through motor control and calibration.
What TOPS is—and what it takes to build
Aaed Musa’s TOPS project provides CAD files, code, a bill of materials, and build documentation through its project page and GitHub repository. Those materials make the design accessible to builders, but they do not make TOPS a complete kit with a verified, currently available parts bundle.
The published configuration combines 12 custom quasi-direct-drive (QDD) actuators with 90KV brushless motors, ODrive S1 field-oriented-control motor controllers, a carbon-fiber frame, silicone feet, a 6S 5200 mAh LiPo battery, and a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller. The actuator design includes a 3D-printed 9:1 planetary gearbox. Treat this as the configuration documented for the project—not as a current shopping list or proof that substitute parts will work interchangeably.
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Reported cost, weight, and build timeline
The figures below describe this project as reported by its sources; they are not controlled comparisons with other robot dogs or current estimates for rebuilding TOPS.
| Measure | Reported figure | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Total build cost | $3,300 | Aaed Musa’s project page, dated October 6, 2023; a project-reported figure, not a current cost estimate. Source. |
| Total weight | 29.6 lb (13.43 kg) | Aaed Musa’s project page, dated October 6, 2023. Source. |
| 3D-printed parts weight | 9.98 lb (4.53 kg) | Aaed Musa’s project page, dated October 6, 2023. Source. |
| Full-battery runtime | 10–15 minutes | Reported by Raspberry Pi Official Magazine; its opened feature does not state an exact publication date. Source. |
| Build duration | Three months in the magazine; four months on the creator’s page | The sources report different timelines. Raspberry Pi Official Magazine: feature; Aaed Musa: project page, dated October 6, 2023. |
How TOPS moves
The Raspberry Pi feature describes a basic quadruped trot as keeping diagonal pairs of feet on the ground to maintain balance. A simple step lifts a foot, moves it forward, sets it down, then brings it back toward its starting position. Coordinating that motion depends on more than the frame and joints: Musa’s project log documents work on gait trajectories and motor-control choices.
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The result is a robot reported to walk, trot, and dance. Those gaits are the central achievement, but the build notes also describe limitations that matter to anyone evaluating or attempting the design.
Reported limitations and engineering trade-offs
Knee-joint belt skipping
Raspberry Pi Official Magazine reports that TOPS’s knee joints can skip because the belt has limited contact with a smaller gear. Increasing belt tension did not fully resolve the issue. This is a reported design shortcoming, not a result from independent testing.
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Calibration and feedback
The magazine characterizes startup calibration for each leg as labor-intensive and notes that the robot lacks environmental feedback such as an IMU-driven response to unexpected conditions. Musa’s project log also describes an encoder-position limitation in the ODrive/CAN setup: resolving it required manually moving a leg to a common homing position. Together, these notes show why a working assembly still involves control and setup challenges.
Single-leg tests are not whole-robot demonstrations
The project log discusses jumping and lifting tests on a single leg. Those tests should not be read as evidence that the assembled quadruped was demonstrated jumping or carrying the same load while walking.
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Who should consider building TOPS?
TOPS is best suited to a builder interested in open design files and hands-on quadruped engineering—not someone looking for a ready-to-run robot dog. The project materials offer a basis for studying its mechanical and control choices, while the reported calibration demands, belt issue, and short runtime are relevant trade-offs.
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If you are comparing TOPS with a purchasable robot dog or another open-source quadruped, keep the categories distinct and compare the details that affect the actual build and use:
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- Whether complete design files and repair information are available.
- Actuator and motor-control architecture.
- Build effort, fabrication requirements, and total sourcing cost.
- Which gaits and mobility behaviors have actually been demonstrated.
- Reported runtime, calibration demands, and sensing capabilities.
- Whether the option is a complete kit or requires self-sourcing components.
TOPS’s reported cost, weight, and runtime are project-specific figures, not measurements from a controlled comparison.
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