Waypoint Robotics has teamed up with Productive Robotics to build a new kind of robot that aims to make mobile manipulation accessible for small to mid sized companies.
The machine – called the Vector AMR – combines Waypoint’s omnidirectional autonomous mobile robot with Productive Robotics’ 7 axis collaborative robot arm, which the companies say makes it easier and more cost effective to implement mobile manipulators 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.
Jason Walker, Waypoint Robotics CEO and co-founder, says: “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.
“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 wireless charger provides on demand energy and opportunity charging for longer run times.
Zac Bogart, president of Productive Robotics, says: “We have made cobots simple and more accessible for businesses, large and small, across all industries.
“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.
Waypoint says the mobile manipulator this accessible is “an industry first” and the system has been named a finalist for the 2021 MHI Innovation Awards.
