Berkeley Humanoid Lite

Based on published sources · Not tested by us · Sources checked 2026-09-30

Overview

A humanoid built around printed gearboxes, with separate simulation assets and low-level control code that requires joint calibration after power cycles. [S001]

Berkeley Humanoid Lite uses modular printed gearboxes for humanoid research. Building it involves actuator assembly as well as printing a robot frame. The hardware guide specifies a printer with at least a 200 mm cube build volume, soldering equipment, heat-insert tooling, a glue gun for motor-shaft magnets and hand tools. The README's sub-$5,000 description is an upstream headline, not a current delivered quote for parts, tools and compute. [S001] [S006] [S007]

Official website · Source code

Specifications

Detail	Description
Type	Printed-gearbox humanoid Reported by source [S001] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S008] [S009] [S010] · Checked 2026-09-30
Intended users	Experienced robot builders; Learning-based control researchers Editorial assessment [S001] · Checked 2026-09-30
Assembly	Not known
Calibration	Pinned low-level README requires joint zero calibration after each power cycle; not performed here. Reported by source [S001] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S008] [S009] [S010] · Checked 2026-09-30
Operating system	Ubuntu 22.04 documented for onboard computer Reported by source [S001] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S008] [S009] [S010] · Checked 2026-09-30
Computer needed	Onboard NUC computer; training/simulation environment is separate Reported by source [S001] [S005] [S006] [S007] [S008] [S009] [S010] · Checked 2026-09-30

Assembly and use

Check corrections before producing parts

The official release log records corrected bearing descriptions, missing BOM items, a replacement gearbox housing print and a missing limit stopper. It also records updates to motor-calibration instructions and joint limits. Those changes make the revision of the BOM and print profile material to a build; a saved software checkout alone does not identify the correct manufacturing files. The Onshape and MakerWorld files still need a matched local export. [S005]

The main archive omits two essential submodules

The workspace separates training tasks, robot-description assets and low-level control. We preserved the exact assets and low-level commits referenced by the main snapshot, instead of silently replacing them with newer branch heads. Motor-controller firmware remains a separate linked project. This improves source preservation but does not yet supply a fully matched and tested robot pack. [S001] [S005] [S009] [S010]

For operation, the onboard-computer guide uses Ubuntu 22.04 and begins with CAN connectivity, IMU and joystick checks. The pinned low-level README additionally requires joint-zero calibration after each power cycle because the actuators have a single motor-shaft encoder. That recurring step belongs in a future support-work estimate, before attempting the learned controller. No such startup or motion test has been performed here. [S008] [S010]

The primary README assigns MIT to code and CC BY-SA 4.0 to other assets. That is a useful distinction for reuse, but it does not settle the terms or completeness of each external component and firmware dependency. [S001] [S011]

Cost

No current, complete configuration-specific build cost has been established for this profile.

Source files and licenses

Available project sources support research coverage; complete build and commercial qualification remain separate.

Layer	Availability / license
mechanical design	available · CC-BY-SA-4.0 README assets declaration; Onshape and MakerWorld manufacturing pack not fully preserved/matched. [S001] [S005]
electronics	not found · License not fully assessed Complete editable electronics pack not established in main archive and release index review. [S004] [S005]
firmware	available · License not fully assessed Official release index links separate motor firmware; matching revision and license not inspected here. [S005]
software	available · MIT Primary code declaration; component and dependency terms must be assessed separately. [S001] [S011]
model weights	available · License not fully assessed ONNX filenames in primary archive; payload completeness, individual rights and exact deployment match remain unverified. [S004]
datasets	not found · License not fully assessed No complete training dataset established in reviewed primary archive inventory. [S004]
documentation	available · License not fully assessed Public build documentation inspected; distinct page reuse terms not established. [S005] [S006] [S007] [S008]

References

Links identify the documentation and revisions used in this profile. Access dates record when each source was retrieved.

S001 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Upstream project overview
Accessed 2026-09-30 · README.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S002 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Repository revision and release metadata
Accessed 2026-09-30 · 984741a3623c93b0583ccfdc479f1f8b1c4d900e
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S004 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Pinned repository artifact inventory
Accessed 2026-09-30 · 984741a3623c93b0583ccfdc479f1f8b1c4d900e archive file inventory
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S005 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
releases.md
Accessed 2026-09-30 · releases.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S006 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
getting-started-with-hardware_materials-and-parts-bom.md
Accessed 2026-09-30 · getting-started-with-hardware_materials-and-parts-bom.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S007 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
getting-started-with-hardware_preparing-the-tools.md
Accessed 2026-09-30 · getting-started-with-hardware_preparing-the-tools.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S008 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
getting-started-with-software_the-on-board-computer.md
Accessed 2026-09-30 · getting-started-with-software_the-on-board-computer.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S009 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Pinned source/berkeley_humanoid_lite_assets
Accessed 2026-09-30 · Exact gitlink revision from main snapshot
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S010 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Pinned source/berkeley_humanoid_lite_lowlevel
Accessed 2026-09-30 · Exact gitlink revision from main snapshot
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S011 · Berkeley-Humanoids / project contributors
Root LICENCE
Accessed 2026-09-30 · LICENCE
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.

Research and review details

Source research only; no installation, physical build or performance test performed. No affiliate links added.

Profile edited 2026-09-30 · Sources checked 2026-09-30 · Next review target 2026-10-30

Combined hardware and software repository revision: 984741a3623c · Activity recorded 2026-03-10 [S002]

Correction guidance · Discussion is not enabled · Profile format 0.5.0-draft.1

Change history

September 29, 2026 — First research profile published.