Small Robot Is a Big Number in Open Source

The KUKA youBot is a small mobile robot that has been designed as an open source platform for scientific research and training. The robot consists of a mobile platform and a robotic arm. Both of these components are driven by drive systems from maxon motor.

For robotic students, teaching a robot something step-by-step and discussing the programs they’ve written themselves can be a fascinating learning opportunity and an exciting challenge. The Augsburg-based company KUKA developed the youBot robot with thatin mind (suppot of scientific and training). The mobile manipulator, which is controlled with open source software, has an omnidirectional baseand robotoc mechanics with five degrees of freedom. Just two years after its introduction to the market, it is already the reference platform for research and training in the field of mobile manipulalation. Worldwide, KUKA is primarily known as a manufacturer of industrial robots. With the youBot robot, KUKA has created an open source reference platform for robotics research, enabling developers, researchers and students to write their own control and application software. For example, assembling IKEA tables or transporting small load carriers and components in the “factory of the future.”