Waypoint Robotics Partners with Productive Robotics to Make Mobile Manipulation Accessible

Introducing the easiest to use and most capable collaborative mobile manipulator for companies of all sizes.

NASHUA, NH, April 12, 2021 – Waypoint Robotics has teamed with Productive Robotics to make mobile manipulation accessible for small to mid-sized companies. Combine the easiest to use, most capable omnidirectional autonomous mobile robot with the simplest and most flexible 7 axis collaborative robot arm, and it has never been easier or more cost effective to deploy a mobile manipulator for manufacturing and logistics applications. Workers can use this mobile platform to perform repetitive tasks such as machine tending, quality assurance sampling, material replenishment, packaging, and many others, so they can focus on the high skilled jobs for which they are uniquely qualified.


“The fast and intuitive set up process of the Productive Robotics OB7 perfectly aligns with our Vector AMR that is built for factory and warehouse workers to deploy in minutes rather than hours or days,” said Waypoint Robotics CEO & Co-Founder Jason Walker. “And the extraordinary dexterity of Productive’s 7 axis cobot arm coupled with Waypoint’s omnidirectional mobility opens up endless possibilities for workers to automate repetitive tasks and maximize robot utilization throughout their facility, ”


What makes it so easy? Waypoint Robotics’ Vector AMR and Product Robotics’ OB7 have been elegantly integrated so set up and operation is fast, simple, and intuitive with both machines seamlessly working together as they perform tasks. The mobile manipulator has a flexible design and interconnected safety systems that allows for either robot to be the primary controller of a particular operation. The Vector’s omnidirectional mobility enables fast, precise docking in any direction or orientation so the OB7 can perform accurate and precise grasping or picking tasks, taking full advantage of the cobots’ 7 degrees of freedom (7 DOF) and superior dexterity. Power management is also a breeze because the Waypoint EnZone provides on demand energy and opportunity charging for longer run times.


“We have made cobots simple and more accessible for businesses, large and small, across all industries,” said Zac Bogart, President of Productive Robotics. “Working with Waypoint Robotics in developing this mobile manipulator platform will open the door for factories and warehouses to innovate, optimize productivity, and gain a competitive advantage with cobots.”


The ease of use, seamless integration, and cost-effective design of Waypoint Robotics’ Vector AMR and Productive Robotics’ 7 axis cobot, make this powerful autonomous mobile manipulator a real automation option for workers in businesses of all sizes. A mobile manipulator this accessible is an industry first.


About Waypoint Robotics


Waypoint Robotics, located in Nashua, NH, develops and manufactures fully autonomous, omnidirectional, mobile robots that are easy to use, industrial strength, and designed to be set up and used by the workforce that is on the job today. VectorTM , MAV3KTM and supporting products can be put to work immediately, adding to workers’ capabilities, increasing their efficiency, and strengthening their companies.

Neuer multifunktionaler Roboter-Arm DexArm von Rotrics hebt Kreativität auf neue Stufe

München/Shenzen – Rotrics gibt die Markteinführung seines neuen multifunktionalen Roboter-Arms DexArm bekannt. Der Roboter-Arm ist modular aufgebaut und verfügt über eine enorme Vielseitigkeit. Der DexArm verfügt über verschiedene Aufsätze und macht es Herstellern dadurch so einfach wie möglich, Gegenstände zu bemalen und zu beschriften, 3DDrucke anzufertigen und als optionales Feature Produkte mit Laser-Gravuren zu versehen. Die Aufsätze lassen sich schnell und einfach mit nur einem Handgriff austauschen.


Der DexArm verfügt über eine hohe Wiederholgenauigkeit von 0,05 mm, eine hohe Geschwindigkeit von bis zu 300 mm/s sowie eine Nutzlastkapazität von bis zu 500 G. Der Roboter-Arm lässt sich über vielseitige Module erweitern, darunter ein Stifthalter, ein Saugnapf, ein Soft-Greifer, ein 3D-Drucker sowie optional ein Lasergravurgerät. Um die Sicherheit der Benutzer zu gewährleisten, ist für die LaserGravuren auch eine Schutzhülle für den DexArm erhältlich. Mithilfe der nutzerfreundlichen Software lassen sich Projekte aller Art – von der Beschriftung über Gravuren bis hin zum 3D-Druck, ganz einfach verwirklichen.


„Seine Präzision sowie die Mischung aus Innovation und Technologie machen unseren neuen DexArm zum einzigartigen und vielseitigen Roboter-Arm für jede Branche. Mit ihm lassen sich Ideen so einfach zum Leben erwecken wie nie zuvor. Der DexArm hilft Herstellern auf einfachste Weise beim Zeichnen, Schreiben, Lasergravieren und 3D-Drucken. Seine größte Stärke ist seine Vielseitigkeit. Durch den modularen Aufbau bietet er für jede Branche passgenau die benötigten Funktionen“, erklärt Wang Yong Xu, CEO von Rotrics.

Preise und Verfügbarkeit
Ab heute ist das Rotrics DexArm Luxury Kit zum Sonderpreis unter https://www.mybotshop.de/navi.php?qs=Rotrics erhältlich.


Über Rotrics
Rotrics (eine Marke der Shenzhen Saiwenbote Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.) ist ein Technik-Start-up mit Sitz in Shenzen, China. Das Team besteht aus engagierten Ingenieuren und Designern, die über umfangreiche Erfahrung in den Bereichen Robotik, Open-Source-Hardware, Industriedesign und 3DDruck verfügen. Die Gründer von Rotrics wollten verstehen, wie Schüler mit Robotern spielen und lernen, um so die nächste Generation fit für die digitale Zukunft zu machen. Lernen ist seit jeher Teil unserer Unternehmensphilosophie. Deshalb entwickeln wir inspirierende, fesselnde und effektive Lösungen für Schüler und Robotik-Fans, die die Art des Lernens verändern. Produkte zu entwickeln, die unseren Kunden helfen und ihre Ideen zum Leben erwecken, ist unsere Leidenschaft.

Hitbot announces the Kickstarter launch of Z-Arm: An affordable & easy to use four-axis collaborative robotic arm

The Hitbot Z-Arm brings incredible versatility and convenience to hobbyists, makers and manufacturers. This one of a kind robotic arm can perform any number of tasks including 3D printing, soldering, engraving and assembly guided by a unique and intuitive set of programming tools that anyone can use.    

Never before has the convenience and versatility of a SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm) been so accessible and user friendly. This type of advanced robotic arm uses a parallel axis joint layout which articulates in a similar way to a human arm, making it faster and more accurate than mechanical arms of previous generations.  

These incredible robotic arms have been used in the most advanced manufacturing facilities for sorting, circuit building and even automobile assembly. Now, with the release of the Hitbot Z-Arm, this powerful technology is available to hobbyists, makers, inventors and robotics enthusiasts. This programmable robotic arm can be anything from a personal assistant to a useful tool or dependable production line component. The Z-Arm will change the way people use technology and provide a completely new type of easily programmable robotic tool.   

Unlike the complex and expensive industrial robotic arms that inspired it, the Z-Arm is extremely easy to program for virtually any task. No special programming knowledge is necessary, making it simple for anyone to use. It uses an integrated driver and motion controller that can be programmed with an intuitive App using a simple graphical interface. It can even be manually programmed by moving the arm itself to create repeatable motions for different tasks. 

The list of applications that can be applied to the Z-Arm is endless. It can perform 3D printing, laser engraving, circuit board soldering and assembly. It can play games, write, cut, perform repetitious actions or simply help out around the house as a personal assistant. It is even equipped with a camera for accurate visual identification, perfect for sorting and organizing. It handles objects of all types, even carefully gripping fragile items with ease.  

For more complex processes, multiple Z-Arms can be programmed to work together. Z-Arm can also work alongside humans with its safety-rated monitored stop, which stops the robot if a human enters its collaborative workspace. As a programmable robotic arm with high precision, its uses are only limited by the imagination.  

In terms of specifications the Z-Arm has an impressive list including 0.02mm Repeatability, a 400 mm Reach, and a front arm Rotation of 360 degrees. Add to that, a 430°/s Speed and a Payload capacity of up to 2kg which allows it to deliver industrial grade performance in a cost-effective manner. It is simply one of the most versatile robotic arms available today.   

 “Our group of designers and robotics experts wanted to encourage innovation by making the most affordable industrial-quality robotic arm that had intuitive tools which make it easy to use for novices. The Z-Arm is the culmination of our dream, a mechanical arm for the masses that will make the power of robotics accessible to everyone.” Jun Tian, CEO Hitbot LTD 

The team behind Hitbot are designers, developers and robotics experts who have years of experience in the field and a passion for creating powerful robotics for consumers. Their unique products are designed to make robotics easy for anyone to program and use.  

The Hitbot Z-Arm is being launched via Kickstarter campaign so the company can reward their community of early adopters with special deals and pricing.  

Roberta Robot-Arm Videos

Here are some Videos, found at the Roberta Youtube-Channel. They show a new robot-arm with 4 DOF, completely build of Lego. For more information about Roberta, take a loot at: http://www.roberta-home.de


Press the left or right arrow-button at the side of the video frame to switch between the videos.

Interesting designs for Rescue Robots – Part 1

Robot rescue is one, if not even the one, upcoming field for robotics. It is not new, but at present many teams and projects around the world are showing up with new ideas and solutions (e.g. NIFTi, CRASAR). So I will start to collect a few interesting approaches, and present them here on RoboBlog.

So our first candidate is the „Bari-bari II“ robot. It is developed by the Tokyo institute of technology and designed to help rescue workers by lifting heavy boulders / plates.

The capabilities are shown in the following video:

The interesting point is not that the robot can lift heavy material. That can be performed by many robots. The most robot systems that can lift material make usage of either a physical manipulator (hand or arm like) or of a blade (like we have presented earlier on this Blog: RoboPlow). But as fare as i know there is not a single one that is designed i such a way that the hole system itself if part of the lifting unit.

By side of all enthusiasm, some questions are still open:

  • The „Bari-bari II“ is presented as a tool to crawl under a plat or similar stuff. To do so it makes some maneuvers of lifting and singe off. What is about preventing against more collapses?
  • If there is now a victim below the plate, he or she will also fell the pressure of the lifting and singing. But as fare as i know, this is not wise. Victims, which are stuck should only be moved as much as needed and you shout never remove the pressure from him or here if you can not eminently support him/here by medicine. During the suck time the blood can often not circulate freely. This causes clumps of blood component. If the pressure is released the blood starts to circulate freely trow the whole body and the clumps can jam haemals. This can causes thrombosis which can lead up to death.

Talk on High speed manipulation from Carson Reynolds

Manipulation is the field of manipulating physical objects by end effectors which are usually attached to a robotic arms. The most end effectors are special tools which are designed to perform special task during a manufacture process (e.g. painting pistols, electro welds or holders). Some more general and extremely fast end effectors are pressented in the following video. It contains a talk given by the assistant professor Carson Reynolds from the Ishikawa Komuro Laboratory in Tokyo. His team is using extreme fast end effectors and arms, and did combining them with high speed vision systems. The outcome is quiet impressive. Their robot hand can grasp a grain of rice with a tweezer or dynamically catch a flying mobile phone.

In addition to the video has the blog  Robotspodcast talked to Mr. Reynolds, which can be found as podcast  here (MP3).