Turtlebot 3 Burger

Overview

The TurtleBot 3 Burger is the world's most widely deployed ROS education robot, standing 192 mm tall and weighing 1.0 kg with a price of $784. Built by ROBOTIS and developed in collaboration with Open Robotics, it is the reference platform for the ROS tutorials on the official ROS documentation website, meaning that virtually every introductory ROS learning resource is designed around or tested on the TurtleBot 3 Burger.

The Burger uses two Dynamixel servo motors for differential drive, carries an RPLiDAR A1 for 2D SLAM, runs Ubuntu on a Raspberry Pi 3B+, and provides a compact, reliable platform for teaching navigation, mapping, and basic autonomous behaviour. It is used in university robotics courses on every continent and is the most common robot platform in UK university teaching labs.

Key Specifications

• Height: 192 mm
• Weight: 1.0 kg
• Price: $784
• Sensors: RPLiDAR A1, IMU, cliff sensors
• Computer: Raspberry Pi 3B+
• Software: ROS and ROS2

Use Cases

TurtleBot 3 Burger is used in UK university robotics modules covering SLAM, path planning, obstacle avoidance, and multi-robot coordination. It is the standard platform for ROS education, and the associated course materials, simulation packages (in Gazebo), and example code represent the most comprehensive educational ecosystem for any robot in this category.

The Burger is also used in A-level and FE enrichment and is the standard platform for many UK university robotics competitions and challenge events.

Buying Used

A healthy secondary market exists through eBay, university disposals, and online platforms. The Dynamixel servo motors are the most critical component; ROBOTIS provides servo health diagnostics through the Dynamixel SDK. Battery condition and Raspberry Pi board health are also important.

Alternatives to Consider

TurtleBot 3 Waffle Pi is the larger variant with camera-based navigation and higher payload. TurtleBot 4 is the next-generation ROS2 platform built on the iRobot Create 3 with more modern hardware. Elephant Robotics myAGV is a lower-cost alternative without the same community support.