I just listened to two tech guys on a podcast talking about Google as a full stack AI company with its Gemini plus its own TPU chips—no reliance on Nvidia’s GPUs. Contrast with OpenAI, which only owns the software. It depends upon Nvidia for the chips and others to build the massive data centers.
Then, I receive a press release relative to industrial robotics where they tout—Bringing a new meaning to the term full-stack company, Flexiv’s own AMR platform makes the company’s entire hardware and software stack fully in-house.
Flexiv designs and builds general-purpose robotics. The company has designed an autonomous mobile vehicle product that mashes up with its robotics. Therefore, “full-stack”. Interesting. And probably useful.
Flexiv, a global leader in general-purpose robotics, is proud to announce the launch of the Flexiv Mobile Robot (FMR) 300, the company’s first self-developed autonomous mobile robot platform. Engineered to expand the operating space of Flexiv’s adaptive robots and eliminate the limitations of stationary workspaces, the FMR 300 represents a major milestone in mobile manipulation and next generation factory automation.
A few of the necessary features:
Featuring a compact footprint of 31 by 24 inches and a height of 34 inches, along with a payload capacity of 600 pounds, the FMR 300 allows customers to deploy advanced adaptive robotic solutions in space constrained environments.
Powered by a 72 Ah lithium-iron battery, the FMR 300 can operate for up to eight hours under typical workloads. If the platform detects that its battery needs recharging, it can autonomously navigate to its charging dock, enabling true “lights-out” operational capability.
When used in conjunction with a Rizon-series adaptive robot, positional errors caused by platform movement or workpiece misalignment can be compensated for as a Rizon robot can use its force sensitivity to “feel out” the exact location of the workpiece. This eliminates the need for computer vision and controlled lighting, enabling reliable operation in dynamic, unstructured environments where conventional AMR–cobot solutions typically fail.
The FMR 300 features high precision laser SLAM navigation, two-wheel differential motion control, and built in collision detection to ensure safe human robot interaction. If necessary, the platform can also incorporate computer vision for enhanced collision avoidance in crowded or highly dynamic workplaces.
One-stop Shop:
From programming software to robot arms, grippers, and now AMRs, Flexiv’s entire portfolio is developed in house. This not only makes creating complex automation solutions easier but also reduces commissioning time and troubleshooting.
