Overview

The WEILAN AlphaDog line was among the first Chinese answers to Boston Dynamics' Spot and launched in 2021. The C-Series with the C500 and C501 variants is the fifth generation. It was marketed as a significantly more affordable alternative and was temporarily touted as the world's fastest robot dog.

Construction

The robot measures 76 by 40 by 45 centimeters and weighs 24 kilograms; the C501 weighs three hundred grams more. The housing shell is made of flame-retardant polycarbonate, the mechanics from aerospace-grade aluminum and carbon, and the fasteners from steel. Power transmission is handled by a semi-direct drive with industrial Gates timing belts. Each leg has three joints with documented angular ranges. A display mounted on the head serves as eyes. Collar and leash operation is explicitly supported.

Technology and AI

A 64-bit ARM platform with 32 gigabytes running Linux and ROS serves as the computing core, connected via HDMI, USB, and WLAN. Both variants have a fisheye camera; the C501 additionally has a depth camera. These are complemented by a microphone array, stereo speakers, and torque and ground contact sensors. A lidar is not built in but is supported as an external option. The battery with 23 ampere-hours typically runs for up to 5.7 hours, continuously for 3.3 hours, and while standing for up to eight hours. Notably narrow is the approved temperature range of zero to 35 degrees; the AlphaDog is therefore not an outdoor winter device.

Market Significance

One detail is noteworthy for Switzerland: the actuators were developed jointly with maxon, the drive specialist from Sachseln. WEILAN does not state a price; press reports from 2021 cited around 16,000 yuan. The website has not been substantially updated in years, so the current market status is unclear.