Loading the 3D preview (2.1 MB)
Drag to orbit · right-drag to move · scroll to zoom
Creator
Ball Dog Bot Rig by Emilio Serrano
Ball Dog Bot Rig for Maya (BallDogBot) is a free robot rig of a spherical quadruped dog, rigged by Emilio Serrano on mGear 5 and built and tested in Maya 2024. Model and textures by Aleksandr Bitiukov, from a concept by Darren Bartley. Made for animators who want to practise four-legged timing, robotic personality, and the challenge of making a machine feel alive.
Part of our free Maya rigs collection. Browse all 70 free rigs
- v1.0
- Version
- 141
- Downloads
- 26 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 29 Dec 2025
- Released
- Works with
- Maya + mGear 5
- Licence
- Free
- File size
- 41.4 MB
- Tested in
- Maya 2024
Maya- mGear 5
Instant download Vetted creator
Latest rig updates
Ball Dog Bot Rig is out
Everything the rig ships with. What you get on day one:
Guide and post-scripts
The mGear 5 guide and post-scripts are included, so the full rig can be rebuilt.
Both sides of the design in reach
The control layout keeps the mechanical parts and the character parts accessible at all times.
Weight and timing practice
Weight distribution, four-legged timing and secondary motion in a mechanical body all have to be thought through.
Watch it move
BallDogBot, rigged on mGear 5
The story behind BallDogBot
A robot dog rig for Maya that proves machines can have soul
BallDogBot began as a concept by Darren Bartley and was realised in 3D by Aleksandr Bitiukov: a spherical robot dog whose round body and mechanical limbs sit between hard-surface rigidity and organic warmth. That makes it a good canvas for exploring how personality survives inside a machine.
Emilio Serrano rigged it on mGear 5 to handle quadruped locomotion, idle behaviours and expressive robotic posing. A cautious patrol, a moment of robotic curiosity, a malfunctioning stagger: the rig covers the emotional range a robot dog demands.
Inside the rig
What you get with the Ball Dog Bot rig
BallDogBot mGear 5 rig
The robot dog rig for Autodesk Maya, rigged by Emilio Serrano.
mGear 5 guide and post-scripts
For full rig rebuilds.
3D model and textures
By Aleksandr Bitiukov.
Original concept
Based on the design by Darren Bartley.
Tested build
Built and tested in Maya 2024.
Great for
What the BallDogBot rig is great for
- Quadruped locomotion and four-legged timing
- Idle behaviours and robotic posing
- Secondary motion on a mechanical body
- Robot acting: curiosity, caution, malfunctions
- Getting personality into pure machinery
Additional information
The details
- Software
- Autodesk Maya, tested in 2024
- Rig type
- Quadruped robot
- Rig framework
- mGear 5
Requirements
Maya and mGear 5
- Autodesk Maya, built and tested in Maya 2024
- mGear 5
Credits
A collaboration
- Rigging: Emilio Serrano
- 3D model and textures: Aleksandr Bitiukov
- Concept: Darren Bartley
Licence terms
Free
Free to download and use in your own animation work.
What animators say
No reviews yet
No reviews yet. If you have used it, you would be the first to say so.
Used this in a shot? Your notes help the next animator decide.
Sign in to reviewWhy you can trust this rig
Vetted
Every rig on Animworks is checked by our team before it goes live.
Supported
Questions and bug reports go straight to Emilio Serrano, or email support@anim.works.
Yours to keep
It lands in your downloads the moment you check out, and stays there.
Community
Share your feedback on the rig
Animating with Ball Dog Bot Rig? Post your shots in the Discord, ask Emilio Serrano a question, or tell us what you would want in the next version.
More free Maya rigs
Animators who grabbed Ball Dog Bot Rig also got
