【Robot】iFixit Experts Perform a Comprehensive Teardown of the Unitree Go2 Robotic Dog
Imagine owning a Boston Dynamics-style robot dog at an incredibly low cost. The Unitree Go2 is just such an advanced, agile, and surprisingly affordable robotic companion. It's designed for research, education, and practical uses like monitoring and exploration. Starting at just $1600, it has successfully carved out a unique market niche where it's almost impossible to find a comparable product.
Recently, the renowned teardown team iFixit turned its attention to this eye-catching product. Unlike their usual focus on mobile phones or computers, iFixit performed its first teardown analysis of the Go2 quadruped robot dog from China's Unitree Robotics. The team provided a comprehensive evaluation report on the Go2, covering its structural design, module installation, and AI functionality.
To delve into the internal structure of the Go2, iFixit specifically invited robotics expert Marcel Stieber to lead the teardown. Marcel has over ten years of experience in consumer electronics and robotic system engineering. In this specially produced in-depth teardown video, he shared his professional insights in detail.
For tech enthusiasts, Marcel's in-depth analysis is a must-see. Let's follow the iFixit experts as they uncover the core structure of this robotic dog and explore the mysteries of its operation.
| Modular Design: Decent Repairability
While we haven't yet established a dedicated repairability scoring system for robot dogs (the sample size for teardowns is still insufficient), overall, the Unitree Go2 performs commendably in this regard.
It starts well with replacement paw pads included right out of the box, which is undoubtedly a smart move. After all, those small rubber pads are wear-and-tear items, and they're precisely what we're most concerned about when evaluating repairability.
Speaking of consumables, the battery pack is also quite convenient to replace. Simply remove it manually from the side of the body, unscrew a few screws to open the casing, and you'll find the battery pack itself and its independent management board. Inside, it uses a standard array of 2000mAh 18650 cells.
While we haven't yet established a dedicated repairability scoring system for robot dogs (the sample size for teardowns is still insufficient), overall, the Unitree Go2 performs commendably in this regard.
It starts well with replacement paw pads included right out of the box, which is undoubtedly a smart move. After all, those small rubber pads are wear-and-tear items, and they're precisely what we're most concerned about when evaluating repairability.
Speaking of consumables, the battery pack is also quite convenient to replace. Simply remove it manually from the side of the body, unscrew a few screws to open the casing, and you'll find the battery pack itself and its independent management board. Inside, it uses a standard array of 2000mAh 18650 cells.
| Leg Structure: Replaceable but with Barriers
Although this teardown didn't fully remove the legs, their design appears to support replacement. However, acquiring replacement parts is not easy – the official website only provides a contact form, making direct ordering impossible. We have contacted Unitree to inquire about purchasing spare motors and legs, and will update promptly if we receive a response.
We particularly appreciate the connection design between the legs and the hip joint: they use a metal-on-metal engagement to bear the main force transmission. The crucial protective mechanism is a plastic locking ring – when the leg is subjected to excessive external force in a non-designed direction (e.g., outwards), this (hopefully inexpensive) plastic part will break first, thereby protecting the more expensive metal structures and motors from damage. With the help of the Lumafield CT scanner, we were able to peer into the internal structure of its legs:
| Core Motherboard: Hidden but with Clear Interfaces
The robot's sole core motherboard is hidden beneath layers of protection, which is to be expected. However, its modular design is reassuring – it features abundant on-board interfaces, facilitating individual repairs. Each motor connects independently, and most components are clearly labeled.
Of course, extensive use of tape, silicone, epoxy, and glue is unavoidable; for a machine that needs to withstand repeated impacts and severe vibrations, this is a reasonable engineering reinforcement. Once the technique for disconnecting is mastered, the disassembly process becomes much smoother.
| LiDAR:The Hidden "Eye"
One of the Go2's core features is its built-in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), which assists navigation by emitting laser beams to sense environmental reflections. This allows it to "see" obstacles and build environmental maps, essentially a high-tech solution for achieving human-eye depth perception. However, what surprised us slightly is that the LiDAR sensor is deeply embedded within the robot's frame, making repair or replacement more difficult than ideal. Fortunately, the sturdy metal casing provides good physical protection.
I Born for Adventure, but Not Invincible
The Go2's design is rugged and robust, clearly intended to tackle challenging terrain. We tested it climbing stairs, and it barely made it. Its ability to recover from falls is commendable, and we even tried fun tasks like having it "go buy coffee."
However, behind its impressive performance, there are also some design concerns. The neck area's structure is relatively fragile, raising questions about its long-term durability for a robot destined to experience many collisions. After opening the casing, we found cracks in its neck due to the stair test, confirming this concern.
I Conclusion: A Uniquely Positioned Explorer
The Unitree Go2 is cleverly positioned between a research tool and a consumer electronics product. It's neither a pet nor a fully functional industrial robot like the Boston Dynamics Spot (which starts at $75,000) – of course, at a fraction of the latter's price, it doesn't need to be. For robotics enthusiasts, it offers an exciting and relatively accessible platform.
Many thanks again to robotics expert Marcel Stieber for his professional support in this in-depth teardown – we highly recommend watching the full teardown video for more details.
However, behind its impressive performance, there are also some design concerns. The neck area's structure is relatively fragile, raising questions about its long-term durability for a robot destined to experience many collisions. After opening the casing, we found cracks in its neck due to the stair test, confirming this concern.
I Conclusion: A Uniquely Positioned Explorer
The Unitree Go2 is cleverly positioned between a research tool and a consumer electronics product. It's neither a pet nor a fully functional industrial robot like the Boston Dynamics Spot (which starts at $75,000) – of course, at a fraction of the latter's price, it doesn't need to be. For robotics enthusiasts, it offers an exciting and relatively accessible platform.
Many thanks again to robotics expert Marcel Stieber for his professional support in this in-depth teardown – we highly recommend watching the full teardown video for more details.
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- Contact Us -
3DMart offers more than just 3D printing, we provide three major OEM services: "3D Printing Service", "3D Scanning Service", and "360 Spatial 3D Scanning Service"!!
Follow our fan page to stay updated with the latest news:
Facebook | Instagram | Threads