Yaskawa has announced the launch of its Motoman NEXT platform, marking a significant milestone in robotic automation. This next-generation platform, designed for North American markets, integrates machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to create more intelligent robotic systems.
Motoman NEXT is the result of a collaborative effort between Yaskawa Electric Corporation and a network of industry and technical partners. The platform’s autonomous adaptivity and open development environment enable enhanced communication and expandable functionality. This equips robots with the ability to perform complex tasks autonomously in unstructured environments.
Motoman NEXT: A Game-Changer in Robotic Deployment
Chris Caldwell, product manager for Yaskawa America Inc. – Motoman Robotics Division (Yaskawa Motoman), highlights the platform’s potential. He states, “This new hardware architecture provides autonomous adaptivity to an environment, expanding robotic deployment into previously unautomated areas.” The integration of AI processing allows for more intuitive robot utilization with human-like perception, leading to highly productive operations.
Key Insights:
Motoman NEXT features a range of dedicated manipulators with payload capacities from 4 kg to 35 kg. Seven robot models, including five industrial robots (NEX4, NEX7, NEX10, NEX20, and NEX35) and two collaborative robots (NHC12 and NHC30), are available. Each robot utilizes the compact YNX1000 controller.
The robots are powered by NVIDIA Isaac accelerated libraries and AI models, running on NVIDIA Jetson Orin autonomous control units (ACUs) with Wind River Linux. This combination provides integrated AI processing and human-like decision-making for each robot, creating more intelligent systems capable of achieving higher levels of autonomy.
Yaskawa’s Motoman NEXT platform represents a revolutionary leap in the field of robotic automation. By integrating AI-driven capabilities and autonomous adaptivity, this platform is set to transform North American markets. With its intelligent systems and open development environment, Motoman NEXT heralds a new era in robotic automation.
