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PickNik Inc. has unveiled MoveIt Pro Release 6, a significant advancement in its platform designed to aid the development of robotic arms for applications that were once infeasible or prohibitively expensive. The latest iteration boasts enhanced functionalities aimed at broadening the scope of robotic operations.
According to Dave Coleman, the founder and chief product officer of PickNik Robotics, the new features of MoveIt Pro, such as real-time object identification, force control, and advanced motion planning, present numerous fresh opportunities for automation. He emphasized the platform’s ability to reduce development costs by as much as 75%, even for intricate robotic tasks.
Established in 2015 in response to the Amazon Picking Challenge, PickNik Robotics has made strides in developing software that enhances precision and efficiency across various sectors, including aerospace, construction, and logistics. The company is also a key player in the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS) community.
“Our algorithms serve various industries, and MoveIt Pro simplifies the development process, allowing companies to avoid starting from scratch,” Coleman mentioned. He is set to discuss common pitfalls that robotics companies face at the upcoming RoboBusiness event, scheduled for October 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, California.
“Most robotics startups emerge from academic environments,” Coleman noted, highlighting the rationale behind appointing Dave Grant as CEO to complement the team’s technical expertise.
Enhancements in MoveIt Pro 6 Promote Greater Flexibility
Historically, robots have been hampered by their limited adaptability, often requiring carefully pre-planned movements and highly structured workspaces. These constraints have confined robotic applications to straightforward, repetitive jobs where reprogramming demanded considerable resources.
MoveIt Pro 6 aims to dismantle these barriers with its innovative features:
Real-time object recognition: This capability allows robots to make informed decisions and navigate unforeseen obstacles more effectively, according to PickNik.
Dynamic path planning: With this update, robots can identify the best paths spontaneously.
Force-compliant and IO controllers: These advancements enable robots to manage objects of different sizes and weights with enhanced precision. MoveIt Pro 6 also introduces whole-body control for enhanced mobile manipulators.
Moreover, the platform incorporates intelligent runtime decision-making, which improves multi-step task management and equips robots to tackle unexpected changes in their environment. These tools enable better handling of variations in object characteristics and support new behaviors through enhanced pose and visualization capabilities.
PickNik Robotics highlighted the hardware-agnostic nature of MoveIt Pro 6, which features the Pro RRTConnect joint-space planner and an improved configuration parser. This versatility allows compatibility with a range of off-the-shelf robotic arms, end effectors, cameras, and various hardware components, driving down project costs. The new release also presents revised documentation and an upgraded user interface.
Furthermore, MoveIt Pro 6 comes equipped with debugging tools aimed at minimizing both development and deployment durations. The company also offers a physics-based simulation engine that includes RGBD cameras, 2D and 3D lidar, and other relevant tools for rapid prototyping of advanced robotic systems.
“Our approach has evolved from relying on Gazebo for simulations to leveraging techniques from the gaming industry for digital twins,” Coleman remarked. PickNik recently received a 2023 RBR50 Innovation Award for MoveIt Studio, the predecessor to the current version.
“MoveIt Pro Release 6 represents more than just software enhancements; it serves as a driver for innovation across diverse industries,” Grant expressed. “We empower clients to automate processes that were previously deemed impossible, spanning sectors like adaptive manufacturing and agriculture. The only limits are their creativity.”
HiveBotics Accelerates Development with PickNik Solutions
“My engineering adventure began with exploring numerous open-source resources,” recalled Rishab Patwari, CEO of HiveBotics Pte. Ltd., which is in the process of developing the Abluo cleaning robot. “PickNik provided invaluable guides and insights into various motion planners during my early days, while I was navigating challenges without advisors or funding, relying on their documentation.”
Patwari emphasized how MoveIt simplified the infrastructure needed for controlling robotic arms, enabling his team to concentrate on the core goal of system development aimed at cleaning tasks. “The hardware-agnostic nature of MoveIt was particularly beneficial; we interfaced with many different robotic arms without the steep learning curve associated with each,” he added.
In addition to providing essential packages for perception, planning, and obstacle avoidance, PickNik also offered consulting and co-development services, allowing HiveBotics to leverage abstraction layers minimizing time spent on complex tasks.
For instance, the company utilized MoveIt to create a computer vision segmentation model capable of analyzing portions of a toilet bowl, allowing for real-time movement adjustments of the Abluo’s arm.
“These complexities have become integral in delivering a compelling user experience,” Patwari explained. “Thanks to MoveIt, we anticipate launching the Abluo restroom-cleaning robot by December, achieving this milestone in just one year instead of two.”
HiveBotics aims to extend its expertise and AI applications into various workflows, including cleaning aircraft and managing scanning requests in construction projects.
“With an engineering foundation already laid, I believe mobile manipulation systems offer easier deployment than traditional fixed automation setups that require calibration,” Coleman observed. “A mobile base can freely navigate obstacles, promoting quick deployment for cleaning tasks.”
According to Coleman, MoveIt Pro 6 encapsulates PickNik’s mission to provide essential capabilities at a lower barrier of entry. Initially focused on bespoke engineering for high-budget systems, the company now provides tools that lower costs, mitigate risks, and enable easier scaling.
“Our clients appear to be diverging into two categories: those like HiveBotics chasing swift market entry and those interested in service provision, such as cleaning in meat-processing facilities,” noted Grant. “While some robotics companies are pivoting towards software solutions, others in sectors like residential construction are also looking to leverage MoveIt Pro’s adaptable, intelligent approach for practical applications, such as tool management.”
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