Xiaomi has announced that it plans to build 1,000 units of a robotic dog, similar to Boston Dynamics' popular Spot, to distribute to developers and researchers. The goal is to use open source tools to create applications that allow the CyberDog to be used for various purposes.

The robotic quadruped also serves as a way for Xiaomi to demonstrate the expertise of its engineering teams and some proprietary components, such as servo motors.

According to the news published by Exame Magazine, the 'brain' of this robot is a Jetson Xavier NX from Nvidia, known for being the world's smallest supercomputer with Artificial Intelligence and there are 11 sensors, including tactile and temperature, cameras, GPS and others that allow 'interpret' inputs from the outside. The CyberDog will be able to follow the user, move around avoiding obstacles, identify the posture and face of humans, and follow individuals within a group, reports Engadget. The robot is capable of walking at 3.2 meters per second, weighs only three kilograms, and has three USB Type-C ports and an HDMI connection.

Unlike Spot, Xiaomi is putting out the first CyberDog units at a very low price of around $1,500, although it is not yet known whether this will be the asking price for each robot when it massively rolls them out (if at all). At this stage, the target audience is "Xiaomi fans, engineers, and robotics enthusiasts to explore together the immense possibilities of CyberDog." The company will make a presence in the open-source community that it hopes will gravitate around this robot, and plans include building a robotics lab as well.

Boston Dynamics' Spot went on sale last year with a recommended price tag of around $75,000 and is already being used for various purposes, such as searching for mines, connecting with patients remotely, or police or military activities.