In 2024, we’re seeing an explosion of humanoid and quadruped robots, all running on FOC-based motor controllers driving BLDC motors. It’s nothing new—this tech has been around for years, and it’s used in everything from cars to cutting-edge robotics like those from Tesla or Boston Dynamics.
Here’s the catch: while the control theory is the same across the board, the price tag isn’t.
Our solution is to Leverage the gimbal BLDC motor industry—which has given us access to affordable (from 5 dollars - 100 dollars), high-torque motors with great weight-to-power ratios—we’ve designed an affordable, low-power BLDC driver specifically for robotics.
Unlike competitors who create BLDC drivers simply for the sake of it, Spectral Micro was purpose-built to solve real-world challenges in robotics. Designed to work seamlessly with three of our own products, it’s engineered with a clear mission: to make robotics affordable, accessible, and ultimately democratized.
Check the video demo and what Spectral Micro can do Here!
Not only do we use Spectral Micro in our own projects, but we want to enable more creators to incorporate it into theirs. That’s why it comes with extensive documentation, multiple example projects, and advanced concepts like gravity compensation and teleoperation. With multiple open-source firmware options, Python APIs, GUIs, and more, Spectral Micro is the perfect tool for bringing innovative robotics projects to life—whether you’re building your own or contributing to ours.
Spectral Micro is a brushless motor controller designed to offer affordable and capable hardware, complemented by open-source software. It supports multiple firmware options and integrates a 14-bit magnetic encoder, inline current sensing, CAN data interface, and provides support for position, velocity, torque, and impedance control. Everything you need for developing high-performance robotic solutions is included. It is ideal for gimbal motors, quadrupeds, robotic arms, and grippers. Check the list of tested motors here!
Features:
- 3 phase brushless FOC controller
- Voltage input: 12 - 28V
- Max continuous phase current: 2.8A
- Max power: 80W
- Control loop frequency: 5kHz
- Max electrical frequency: 460 Hz
- 14 bit magnetic encoder
- CAN and UART communication
- Daisy chain CAN and power connector
- EEPROM memory 16 Kbit
- Temperature sensor connector
- Support for SimpleFOC
Best of all, all the code is fully open-source. We believe in fostering innovation and collaboration, so we invite developers, makers, and enthusiasts to join us and contribute to the future of robotics.
Read more about spectral micro in the docs: Link
Explore the open source code here: Link
Buy one: Link