🇺🇸 Petoi

About Petoi

Petoi was founded in 2019 by Rongzhong Li, building on open-source robotics projects that had attracted a following in the maker and STEM education community. The company is based in New York and produces small, programmable quadruped robots aimed at students, hobbyists, and educators. The product line grew out of a Kickstarter campaign for the original Nybble robot cat, which demonstrated strong demand for affordable, buildable legged robots.

The current flagship is Bittle X, a palm-sized quadruped built around an Arduino-compatible main board with optional Raspberry Pi integration. It supports Python, Arduino C, and block-based visual programming, covering a wide range of educational levels from secondary school to undergraduate robotics courses. The open-source firmware and growing library of community extensions make Petoi robots well suited for curriculum development and independent learning projects.

Petoi occupies a distinct position from commercial industrial robots: it sells an educational experience wrapped in hardware rather than a deployment-ready platform. The low price point, around $299 to $499 depending on configuration, makes it accessible to individual buyers and classroom budgets alike.

Key Products

• Bittle X: Arduino/Raspberry Pi quadruped; open-source firmware, Python and block coding support, approximately £250-£400
• Nybble: Original robot cat platform; still available and supported, entry-level configuration

UK Market Presence

Petoi sells directly to UK buyers through its online store with international shipping. UK distributors focused on STEM education equipment occasionally stock Petoi robots. Import duties and VAT apply to direct purchases from the US store. Several UK schools and maker spaces use Bittle as part of robotics curriculum programmes. The price point and open-source nature make it one of the more accessible quadruped platforms for UK educational institutions.

Buying Used Petoi Equipment

Used Bittle and Nybble units appear regularly on eBay UK and Facebook Marketplace, typically priced at £100 to £200. The open-source firmware means software support is community-maintained and independent of any commercial relationship with Petoi. Buyers should check servo condition, as hobby-grade servos wear with extended use, and verify that the control board is undamaged. Replacement parts and servos are widely available and inexpensive.