TIAGo OMNI++: the launch of the bi-manual omnidirectional robot

TIAGo OMNI++ is launched

The newest addition to the TIAGo mobile manipulation family is here! At PAL Robotics we have launched a newcomer to the TIAGo family of robots, TIAGo OMNI++, the omnidirectional drive robot for mobile manipulation. The omnidirectional drive enables TIAGo OMNI++ to move in all directions and the robot is ready for bi-manual experiments and various types of grasping, thanks to the different types of end-effectors available. Altogether, bringing a flexibility that allows you to do more in any area of your research.

TIAGo OMNI++ is complete with omnidirectional drive with 3 DoF mecanum wheels. These bring the robot 360 degrees of movement and more flexibility than ever. TIAGo OMNI ++ is a bi-manual platform that comes with interchangeable end effectors, 360 LiDAR and a screen. The aim was to create a platform that is easily configurable and able to address any robotic research needs. 

The screen on the torso is designed to aid Human-robot (HRI) research even further. The robot has two 7 DoF mobile manipulator arms for manipulation tasks, and a number of end effector options, including a humanoid hand or various types of grippers – these are, for now, PAL Robotics 5-fingered Hand, PAL Robotics Parallel Gripper, Robotiq Grippers 2F-140 and 2F-85, and Robotiq EPick Vacuum Gripper. Read more about these grippers here. Researchers can even integrate their end effectors of choice. TIAGo OMNI++ is also compatible with a range of accessories to enhance the robot capabilities further and enable you to improve your work on mobile manipulation. 

The mobile base within TIAGo OMNI++ includes two LIDAR sensors for an unobstructed 360º FOV secure movement. This includes autonomous navigation, obstacle detection and path planning. The robot offers you the chance to take on new challenges and opens up potential new use cases, with the aim of taking robotics research and mobile manipulation even further.

TIAGo OMNI++

The omnidirectional drive offers flexibility of 360º movement

TIAGo OMNI++ enhances the autonomous mobile robot TIAGo Base, as its users can take full advantage of the manoeuvrability offered by TIAGo’s omnidrive base for path planning. The omnidirectional robot base provides precision positioning even in constrained environments. This is where a robot with omnidirectional movement appears to be the most optimal proposal thanks to its versatility of 360º movement. TIAGo OMNI++ uses another kind of drive (omnidrive vs the differential drive). TIAGo OMNI++ has two mobile manipulator arms for manipulation tasks, and is adaptable and compatible with a range of accessories to enhance the robot capabilities further. 

Versatility in navigation, for precision positioning even in complex environments

Dr. Jordi Pagès, Head of Intralogistics and TIAGo Product Manager at PAL Robotics said of the launch of TIAGo OMNI++, “we’re very excited to launch TIAGo OMNI++, an enhanced version of our TIAGo robot. TIAGo robot is already a popular mobile manipulator and the platform of choice for many institutions, as well as being used in robotics competitions. With the development of TIAGo OMNI++ the robot is able to move very easily, with versatility in navigation, for precision positioning even in complex environments. This brings researchers more possibilities than ever to develop new applications for the robot, and I’m looking forward to seeing where TIAGo OMNI++ can take robotics.” 

TIAGo, the mobile manipulator combines perception, navigation, manipulation & Human-Robot Interaction

TIAGo, the mobile manipulator was first developed by PAL Robotics in 2015, and has been evolving continuously. The robot combines perception, navigation, manipulation & Human-Robot Interaction skills out of the box. The robot is well suited for applications in the healthcare sector and light industry, as demonstrated by the European Research Projects that choose the robot as a research platform. TIAGo has a modular design and the robot can be configured based on customers’ needs.

The TIAGo robot is suitable for a range of scenarios including applications in Ambient Assisted Living, Factories of the Future, and Smart Cities. TIAGo robot has taken part in the following projects, amongst others:

Project EnrichMe for robotics in assisted living

EnrichMe tackled the decline of cognitive capacity in the ageing population by creating an integrated platform for Ambient Assisted Living. In the project TIAGo robot was adapted for human monitoring and interaction, this included supporting users with mental fitness and social inclusion in homes, to help older users to remain independent and active for longer. 

Project Open DR AI framework for robotics

The main goal of the Open DR project is in harnessing deep learning to provide advanced perception and cognition abilities in robotics. The robot TIAGo is being used in this project to incorporate human presence recognition, activities and vocal instructions as well as emotional states to enable a person-centric human interaction in robotics. The aim is to be able to use these robotic applications in areas such as healthcare.

Project CANOPIES for Human-Robot collaboration in vineyards

The goal of the CANOPIES project is to develop a Human-Robot prototype in crop farming (Agri-Food) that addresses the challenges of Human-Robot Interaction and Human-Robot Collaboration. PAL Robotics is working with the TIAGo++ robot platform in this project to assist within a table grape vineyard on both harvesting and pruning.

Project SIMBIOTS for robotics in new industrial processes 

SIMBIOTS is a project that had the aim of enabling the introduction of robotics in new industrial processes and applications. Robotic platforms including TIAGo, were used in a workspace where both humans and robots could safely interact without any physical barriers. The project objectives included improving workers’ ergonomics and increasing productivity in the industrial sector.

Get started with the free simulation right away

TIAGo mobile manipulator has ROS tutorials available to get started with its open source simulation, which you can download online, find out more here. You are also able to download a Docker image in order to get started right away, see more here.

If you would like to learn more about TIAGo OMNI++ make sure you visit our website to read more. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team to ask more about how to use TIAGo OMNI++ and the new omnidirectional base for enhancing your research.

If you found this article informative, don’t miss all our other articles on robotics and research!

 

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