New generation robotic arm named, “KATIA” a.k.a. Kick Ass Trainable Intelligent Arm. Carbon Robotics is breaking out a new technology into the prosumer market. Robotic arms have long been used to accomplish tasks in large factories, but their version brings a multi-purpose, trainable robotic into your home to do just about anything. (via Carbon Robotics)
Carbon Robotics is a company that intends to stir up the prosumer market for robotics by bringing a robotic arm with industrial capabilities to the price range of a laptop. Their new robotic arm is called KATIA, an acronym for Kick Ass Trainable Intelligent Arm. This robotic arm features an open platform that can accommodate different modules and be trained to do just about anything - with or without programming experience. Anyway, it seems like the closest most of us will get to a robot butler in 2016.
Their promotional YouTube video (seen at https://youtu.be/DN9Jj8XwlQw) shows KATIA doing everything from 3-D scanning, to 3-D printing, to laser cutting, and cake decorating. Industrial robotic arms have been existing for decades within factories doing everything from putting caps on tubes of toothpaste to tightening bolts and screws on automobiles. This new robotic arm brings a similar concept to the consumer market and to small to medium-sized business.
KATIA is supposed to be able to carry objects up to 1 kg in weight (roughly 2.2 pounds). It is also supposed to be able to move within a sub-millimeter of precision within a one meter radius. Hence, while the robotic arm is supposed to be able to do 3-D printing it won't reach the level of detail that a current 3-D printer will on the market. However, it can make a decent laser cutter and can carry out production line work. In fact, the founders say that their Chinese manufacturer has expressed interest in buying the KATIA for their production lines.
The KATIA can be used with attachable modules that can be purchased from Carbon Robotics, or you can get creative. The arm can be programmed utilizing their API and Python or Arduino computing languages. However, the robotic arm is also able to be programmed through touch so that less tech savvy individuals don't need to worry about programming and hardware.
Carbon Robotics was founded in July 2014, and has captured seed funding from Hax, Qualcomm Incorporated, and Techstars. The company was founded by Rosanna Myers and Dan Corkum, and has quite a few women working prominently within the company - which is very inspiring for a tech company started in San Francisco. How well this new concept will take off on the market has yet to be seen. KATIA is set to be released for purchase in March 2016 for a retail value of $1,999. While the price tag may keep a lot of tinkerers from buying, it is certainly much cheaper than an industrial robotic arm and most high-end 3-D printers. I can see the robotic arm being useful for smaller R&D firms and prototyping. I'm waiting for someone to come out with the next generation model with two robotic arms on wheels that can clean my house and fetch me coffee.
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