PickNik Robotics’ MoveIt Studio is now MoveIt Pro

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MoveIt Pro better reflects the platform’s expanded capabilities, says the company. | Source: PickNik Robotics

PickNik Inc. is rebranding its flagship software for robotic manipulation applications. Previously known as MoveIt Studio, the company said the new name of MoveIt Pro better aligns with the platform’s value and expanded capabilities. 

Since its launch in 2021, MoveIt’s features have grown beyond its easy-to-use user interface and powerful behavior-tree builder, said PickNik Robotics.

The Boulder, Colo.-based company said it has been rapidly enhancing its commercial-grade robotics runtime engine. They are intended to further accelerate the development of systems to real-world, unstructured robotics challenges.

With so many new features, the professional tool has outgrown the original MoveIt Studio name, claimed PickNik. The company added that the new name represents the high-level robotics programming environment. 

PickNik is also releasing a new MoveIt Runtime product. This will contain PickNik’s advanced robotics engine and developer tools. 

The programs that will run on the MoveIt Runtime and MoveIt Studio within MoveIt Pro. | Source: PickNik Robotics

Tools included in MoveIt Pro

PickNik said it built the MoveIt Pro for enterprises and professionals looking to rapidly implement automation that can adapt to unstructured and changing environments. The development platform can accelerate time to market and returns on investment (ROI) by enabling rapid prototyping and iteration, it asserted.

MoveIt Pro also sits at the forefront of robotic motion-planning technology, said PickNik. This means its users receive frequent updates that ensure they’re always equipped with the latest tools. 

In addition, the development platform is hardware-agnostic, allowing users to combine open-source innovation with commercial-grade dependability to reduce risks. PickNik said it has an intuitive, visual user interface that streamlines the creation of advanced robotic arm software. 

PickNik also offers an extensive library of reference applications. These allow users to reduce development time. The applications include bin picking, opening doors, pick and place, peg in hole, scan and plan, cutting along paths, and visual servoing. 

Finally, MoveIt Pro is backed by end-to-end services and support for business-critical applications from PickNik’s team of experts. The company sad its comprehensive professional services can accelerate all stages of product development, deployment, optimization, and sustainment.

PickNik partners, prepares Robotics Summit presentation

Last year, PickNik Robotics announced a strategic collaboration with SKA Custom Robots and Machines, an engineering firm known for its work in robotics. The partners planned to use PickNik’s software expertise and SKA’s hardware engineering capabilities to propel the development of advanced robotic systems.

SKA has experience in construction, medical, life sciences, mining, and inspection robots. PickNik Robotics’ software has been used in various applications, including in agriculture, warehouses, and space. 

Sebastian Castro, senior engineer at PickNik Robotics, will take part in the “Managing Robot Autonomy with Behavior Trees” talk at the Robotics Summit & Expo. The show will be on May 1 and 2, 2024, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. 

During the talk, Castro will give an overview of behavior trees, covering formalism, basic mechanics, and common idioms for robotics applications. He will then contrast behavior trees with alternative approaches and detail the main software packages and resources available for getting started.

Castro will be joined by Andrew Stout, a roboticist and software engineer at the AI Institute. Register now for the Robotics Summit & Expo.

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