myCobot 280 RISC-V: World's First RISC-V Full-Stack Open-Source Robot Arm
Elephant Robotics and SpacemiT co-launched the 280 RISC-V — a 6-axis collaborative robot arm powered by the K1 RISC-V AI CPU. Full-stack open source from instruction set to robot control code, with on-device LLM inference and ROS2 support.
Overview
In August 2026, Elephant Robotics (a Shenzhen-based collaborative robot specialist) and SpacemiT (a RISC-V AI CPU startup from Hangzhou) jointly announced the myCobot 280 RISC-V — billed as the world's first 6-axis collaborative robot arm built on a fully open-source RISC-V stack. The arm replaces the traditional ARM-based controller with SpacemiT's K1 chip, bringing RISC-V from the MCU and SoC world into the robotics application layer.
The collaboration is significant because it demonstrates a complete vertical integration: the RISC-V instruction set, the chip SDK, and the robot control code are all open. This gives developers unprecedented ability to inspect, modify, and extend every layer of the robot's software stack — something that was previously impossible with proprietary ARM-based robot controllers.
SpacemiT K1: The Brain Inside
The K1 is SpacemiT's first-generation RISC-V AI CPU, featuring 8 X60 high-performance computing cores. It is designed to bridge general-purpose CPU computing with AI acceleration, making it well-suited for robotics workloads that require both real-time control and on-device AI inference.
K1 Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Architecture | RISC-V 64-bit (RV64GCV) |
| CPU Cores | 8x X60 high-performance cores |
| Clock Frequency | 1.6 GHz |
| AI Computing | Supports 0.5B-1B parameter LLM inference |
| LLM Inference Speed | >10 tokens/s (on-device) |
| Process Node | 22nm |
| OS Support | Bianbu Linux (based on Debian/Ubuntu) |
| Graphics | PowerVR (Imagination) GPU |
The K1's ability to run LLMs locally is a key differentiator. Traditional robot arms rely on cloud-based AI services for vision and decision-making, introducing latency and privacy concerns. With the K1, the 280 RISC-V can perform visual tracking, voice interaction, and autonomous decision-making entirely on-device.
Robot Arm Hardware
The 280 RISC-V inherits the myCobot 280 series' compact desktop form factor while upgrading the compute platform:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | 6-axis collaborative robot arm |
| Reach | 280 mm |
| Payload | 250 g |
| Weight | 860 g |
| End Effector Mount | LEGO + M4 compatible |
| Attachments | Suction pump, gripper, vision module |
| Controller | SpacemiT K1 RISC-V AI CPU |
The arm's lightweight design (860 g) and small footprint make it ideal for desktop use in classrooms, labs, and maker spaces. The end effector supports both LEGO studs and M4 threaded holes, enabling rapid prototyping with off-the-shelf components.
Full-Stack Open Source
The defining feature of the 280 RISC-V is its commitment to open source at every layer:
Open-Source Stack Layers
| Layer | Open-Source Component |
|---|---|
| Instruction Set | RISC-V ISA (open standard, royalty-free) |
| Chip SDK | SpacemiT K1 SDK (publicly available) |
| Robot Control | Elephant Robotics control code (open) |
| OS | Bianbu Linux (open-source, Debian-based) |
| Package Repo | apt repository with pre-installed AI models |
| Simulation | ROS2 + RVIZ + simulation environments |
Pre-Installed AI Models
The device ships with an apt repository containing pre-configured models:
- DeepSeek-R1 — reasoning-focused LLM for task planning
- Qwen2.5 — Alibaba's multimodal LLM for vision-language tasks
- Vision models — object detection, tracking, and recognition
- Speech models — voice interaction and command parsing
- Inference acceleration — optimized for K1's RISC-V + AI pipeline
Development Experience
The 280 RISC-V supports multiple programming paradigms to accommodate developers at different skill levels:
Programming Modes
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop | Visual block programming for beginners |
| Script programming | Python/C++ scripts for intermediate users |
| ROS2 integration | Full ROS2 + RVIZ for robotics engineers |
| Simulation | Simulate before deploying to hardware |
Out of the box, the arm comes pre-loaded with example content and libraries. New developers can complete a basic pick-and-place with vision recognition within minutes, while advanced users can leverage ROS2 topics, services, and actions for complex multi-robot coordination.
Quick Start: ROS2 Pick-and-Place
# Source ROS2 workspace
source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
source ~/mycobot_ws/install/setup.bash
# Launch the 280 RISC-V driver
ros2 launch mycobot_280riscv mycobot_280.launch.py
# List available topics
ros2 topic list
# /joint_states
# /gripper_controller/command
# /camera/image_raw
# Move to home position
ros2 service call /set_home std_srvs/srv/Trigger
# Pick-and-place with vision
ros2 run mycobot_vision pick_and_place.py \
--object red_block \
--target_zone zone_bApplication Scenarios
The 280 RISC-V targets several key application areas where its combination of open-source flexibility, on-device AI, and compact form factor creates unique value:
| Scenario | How RISC-V + AI Helps |
|---|---|
| Smart retail | On-device visual tracking and autonomous decision-making for demo kiosks |
| Interactive exhibitions | Voice interaction + LLM-powered responses without cloud dependency |
| Education | Full-stack open source for teaching RISC-V, robotics, and AI together |
| Industrial automation | Customizable control loops and deterministic RISC-V real-time performance |
| Maker/prototyping | LEGO-compatible end effector + open SDK for rapid iteration |
Why RISC-V for Robotics?
The 280 RISC-V represents a broader trend: robotics is emerging as a key application domain for RISC-V beyond MCUs and edge devices. Several factors make RISC-V attractive for robot controllers:
- No licensing fees: The open ISA eliminates per-unit ARM royalties, lowering the bill of materials for high-volume robot products.
- Custom extensions: RISC-V allows domain-specific instruction extensions for motor control, sensor fusion, or AI acceleration without ISA-level negotiation.
- Real-time capability: RISC-V cores can be configured for hard real-time control loops, critical for multi-joint synchronization.
- Supply chain resilience: Open ISA means multiple silicon vendors can produce compatible chips, reducing single-vendor dependency.
- Ecosystem transparency: Full visibility into the instruction set and chip SDK enables deeper debugging and optimization than black-box proprietary controllers.
SpacemiT K1 vs K3: Robot Arm Upgrade Path
While the 280 RISC-V currently uses the K1, SpacemiT's K3 chip (released January 2026) offers a significant upgrade path for future robot arm iterations:
| Parameter | K1 (Current) | K3 (Future) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 8x X60 @ 1.6 GHz | 8x X100 + 2x real-time cores |
| AI Compute | Supports 0.5-1B LLM | Supports 30-80B LLM (30x improvement) |
| Standard | RV64GCV | RVA23-compliant |
| Robotics Benefit | Basic vision + voice | Full VLA (Vision-Language-Action) models on-device |
The K3's dual real-time CPU cores can independently run a robot's ROS system while the main cores handle AI inference — a architecture that directly addresses the latency-critical control loop requirements of multi-joint robots. This makes the K3 a natural successor for a future "280 RISC-V Pro" or larger-payload robot arms.
Official Resources
- Elephant Robotics — myCobot 280 RISC-V Product Page
- SpacemiT Official Website
- SpacemiT Developer Community & SDK
- Elephant Robotics GitHub (myCobot)
- Elephant Robotics Documentation
Multi-Language Summary
EN: The myCobot 280 RISC-V is the world's first 6-axis collaborative robot arm with a fully open-source RISC-V stack, powered by SpacemiT K1 (8-core X60, 1.6 GHz). Supports on-device LLM inference (0.5-1B params, 10+ tokens/s), ROS2, and drag-and-drop programming.
RU: myCobot 280 RISC-V — первый в мире шестикоординатный协作ративный робот-манипулятор с полностью открытым RISC-V стеком, на базе SpacemiT K1 (8 ядер X60, 1.6 ГГц). Поддерживает локальный вывод LLM (0.5-1B параметров), ROS2 и блочное программирование.
ES: myCobot 280 RISC-V es el primer brazo robot colaborativo de 6 ejes del mundo con una pila RISC-V completamente de código abierto, impulsado por SpacemiT K1 (8 núcleos X60, 1.6 GHz). Soporta inferencia LLM en dispositivo, ROS2 y programación visual.
FR: myCobot 280 RISC-V est le premier bras robot collaboratif 6 axes au monde avec une pile RISC-V entièrement open source, propulsé par SpacemiT K1 (8 cœurs X60, 1.6 GHz). Il prend en charge l'inférence LLM sur appareil, ROS2 et la programmation visuelle.
DE: myCobot 280 RISC-V ist der erste kollaborative 6-Achsen-Roboterarm der Welt mit einem vollständig quelloffenen RISC-V-Stack, angetrieben vom SpacemiT K1 (8-Kern X60, 1.6 GHz). Unterstützt On-Device LLM-Inferenz, ROS2 und visuelle Programmierung.
FA: myCobot 280 RISC-V اولین بازوی ربات همکار ۶ محوره جهان با پشته کاملاً متنباز RISC-V است که توسط SpacemiT K1 (هشت هسته X60، ۱.۶ گیگاهرتز) قدرت میگیرد. از استنتاج LLM روی دستگاه، ROS2 و برنامهنویسی بصری پشتیبانی میکند.
Conclusion
The myCobot 280 RISC-V is more than a product launch — it is a proof point that RISC-V has matured enough to power real-world robotics applications. By pairing SpacemiT's K1 AI CPU with Elephant Robotics' proven mechanical platform, the collaboration demonstrates that the open RISC-V ecosystem can deliver competitive performance for latency-sensitive, AI-infused robotics workloads. For developers, educators, and makers, the full-stack open-source approach removes the last barrier to understanding and customizing every layer of a robot arm — from the instruction set up.