Open Source RoboticsRobots, software & learning

OpenKilo

Robot / hardware build

Repair-oriented Kilobot hardware revision with KiCad design and a separately sourced overhead-controller/firmware workflow. [1] [2] [5] [4]

Build & first use →Official websiteUpstream build guide

For
Robotics developers inspecting the selected design and configuration [1] [2] [5] [4]
Cost
No current cost or bill of materials established yet.
Source rights
Named licenses are documented by part. Includes noncommercial terms. Review licenses
Unknowns
host computer, tools, operating system not fully established. Review gaps

Source researched · Not tested by us
Sources checked · Research details

Licenses & related hardware
License
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 (noncommercial) · Details by part

Requirements · Research details and dates

On this page

Overview

OpenKilo is a Kilobot hardware revision intended to improve repair and extensibility. It supplies a KiCad board/circuit and points to assembly/programming documents, while relying on separate overhead-controller and software resources. This entry covers that identifiable board revision, not a new complete software stack or a tested swarm system. [1]

The README identifies Jamie Trump's Plymouth-Kilobot-2019 repository as its original project provenance. That relationship is part of the same design history, not a second standalone catalog candidate. It also credits Harvard and Western Carolina University source material; shared ancestry does not settle compatibility across every Kilobot revision. [1]

Is this for you?

Known limitations
  • CC-BY-NC-SA4 project restriction; externally referenced firmware/controller/material terms separate.
  • Original jamie-trump/Plymouth-Kilobot-2019 is provenance for same project, not another catalog candidate.
  • No full current BOM cost, external firmware build/programming or robot motion/communication tested.

Editorial assessment of bounded source evidence; no runtime, fit, manufacturing or compatibility proof.

[1] [2] [5] [4] · Editorial assessment

What you need

Dependencies
  • KiCad with included Kilobot.lib; selected board and separate WCU overhead controller
  • External Kilobot/OHC firmware and KiloGUI; original design relationship to Harvard/WCU

[1] [2] [5] [4]

Hardware & parts

Hardware configuration

Repair-oriented Kilobot hardware revision with KiCad design and a separately sourced overhead-controller/firmware workflow.

Editorial assessment of bounded source evidence; no runtime, fit, manufacturing or compatibility proof.

[1] [2] [5] [4] · Editorial assessment

Actuators
  • External actuators or host robot selected separately; scope is the stated design contribution

[1] [2] [5] [4]

Assembly & first use

Open the upstream getting-started guide [1] [2] [5] [4]

  • Inspect actual KiCad board/circuit and configure included Kilobot.lib.
  • Match referenced BOM/assembly/programming guides with external WCU OHC firmware and KiloGUI.

Editorial assessment of bounded source evidence; no runtime, fit, manufacturing or compatibility proof.

[1] [2] [5] [4] · Editorial assessment

Cost

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

Bound the cost and reuse claims

The project declares CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0, which includes a noncommercial restriction. External controller designs, firmware, GUI and vendor parts retain their own terms; do not apply the board's notice to every linked dependency. No current reconciled BOM, stock check or complete delivered system cost was established, including the OHC, programming cable, tools, host and delivery/tax. [1] [2]

A useful first investigation is the actual board source and required library, followed by the matched external assembly/controller/programming route. No manufacturing, native DRC, charging, calibration, robot motion, communication or swarm-performance test was performed. [1] [4] [5]

3D preview

Preview not available yet. No hosted preview has been prepared for the configuration described in this profile. Inspect the linked sources and their reuse terms; a manufacturing-ready assembly has not been established by this preview status.

Model sources

No hosted preview has been prepared for the configuration described in this profile. Inspect the linked sources and their reuse terms; a manufacturing-ready assembly has not been established by this preview status.

Project notes

Inspect the selected board source and libraries

The original PlymouthKilobot2019 KiCad PCB and legacy schematic were retrieved and matched to pinned Git identities. Their structured source is actual electronics material rather than only a board photo or fabrication manifest. No native KiCad load, complete library resolution, design-rule check or powered board was verified. [4] [5]

The README says the included Kilobot.lib is required for some symbols/footprints and must be added to the project. It separately reports historical freeRouting use for automatic routing; that does not make freeRouting mandatory for every edit or export. Configure the required KiCad/library dependencies before editing or regenerating manufacturing files; a missing symbol/footprint must not be mistaken for an intentionally absent component. [1]

The overhead controller is a separate build dependency

The described workflow first obtains robot parts/PCBs from referenced BOMs and a WCU overhead-controller design, installs the required software, assembles/programs the OHC, then assembles and programs the robot. The README points to a 2×3 programming header and a programming-reference document. These are concrete next sources to inspect; the external guide, firmware and full referenced PDFs were not reproduced in this review. [1]

KiloGUI and benchmark programs also come from separate sources. A KiCad board file alone does not establish a working programmer, compatible OHC firmware or wireless/optical control session. The selected schematic identifies U5 as ATmega48A-AU. Check the external firmware's target against that controller and match the rest of the stack/board revision before uploading or interpreting an example's expected behavior; programming and compatibility remain unverified. No build, programming or benchmark was run. [1] [3]

What we checked

Pinned source and selected artifact structure review only; no dependency installation, upstream build, native CAD/kernel/fit/strength validation, fabrication, wiring, calibration, simulation, powered operation or performance testing. Original archives stay private.

Not yet established

  • Requirements: operating system, host computer, tools

Updates

Upstream last updated
Not established
Latest release
Not established
Profile updated
Nov 1, 2026
Sources last checked
Nov 1, 2026
Next review
Dec 1, 2026
Reviewed revision
6292ee5

Source files and licenses

Identifiable robotics contribution with inspected actual source and bounded design/workflow investigation; no missing core functionality inferred.

LayerAvailability / license
electronicsavailable · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
ActualKiCadsource inspected; externalcontroller/firmware retainseparateterms. [4] [2]
documentationavailable · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Noncommercialprojectgrant; externalreferences separate. [1] [2]

Outside the selected contribution; no separate released layer claimed.

References

Each source links to the exact revision we read. “Used for” shows where this page relies on it.

Correction guidance · Discussion is not enabled · Profile format 0.7.0-draft.5

Change history