National Instruments, a provider of innovative tools with an extensive collection of services and support solutions, has reportedly signed a collaboration agreement with MobileRobots Inc. to combine the power of NI LabVIEW graphical system design software and MobileRobots Inc's MOBILEROBOTSindoors autonomous mobile platforms. The effort is aimed at helping engineers rapidly deploy service robot applications.

 

MobileRobots Inc is a privately-held corporation specializing in the design and manufacture of intelligent mobile bases, autonomous navigation systems and software for robot developers and programmers. MOBILEROBOTSindoors is a general-purpose platform that is said to enable non-programmers to quickly customize and install autonomous robots for applications such as couriers, guides, kiosks and inspectors. The robots also offer easy interoperability with third-party vendor solutions.

 

"The rapid growth of robotics applications has led to a fragmented landscape of niche software and hardware, and the future growth of these applications is dependent on the identification of a common architecture that can deliver robust functionality and open integration with other platforms," said John Pasquarette, vice president of product marketing for software at National Instruments (News - Alert), in a statement. "Collaborations like the one between National Instruments and MobileRobots Inc are a clear demonstration of how LabVIEW can provide that common architecture to help engineers simplify robotic design as well as integrate with other platforms for increased functionality."

 

LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment that helps engineers and scientists regardless of experience, to develop sophisticated measurement, test, and control systems using intuitive graphical icons and wires similar to a flowchart. For more than 20 years, NI LabVIEW graphical programming has been revolutionizing this process. 

 

NI LabVIEW makes it easy to add accessories, including manipulators, sensors and other task-specific components, to robots with MOBILEROBOTSindoors technology and to rapidly integrate these robots or robot fleets into an automation environment such as factories, clinical labs or facility security systems. The seamless integration between LabVIEW and MOBILEROBOTSindoors is made possible by a set of LabVIEW VIs.

 

"Engineers use MOBILEROBOTSindoors autonomy to keep from re-inventing the wheel and to jump-start solutions with tested foundation technology," said Jeanne Dietsch, cofounder and chief executive officer at MobileRobots Inc., in a statement.

 

Other than the software customization, the collaboration between the two companies will further allow engineers to add NI hardware such as NI CompactRIO, NI Single-Board RIO and NI Smart Cameras to MobileRobots intelligent mobile bases and autonomous navigation systems, clarified the company.

 

In other news, National Instruments partnered with Lego Education to continue the educational robotics collaboration with the new Lego Education WeDo classroom robotics platform, a drag-and-drop icon based environment.