Qualcomm Technologies has announced its acquisition of PickNik, the company behind the MoveIt manipulation framework. This acquisition aims to integrate MoveIt's motion planning, manipulation, perception, and kinematics tools with Qualcomm's Dragonwing robotics platforms, enhancing their AI processing and real-time capabilities.
The integration of MoveIt with Dragonwing is significant as it will streamline the development of advanced robotic applications, providing developers with a more direct path from AI models to real-time robot control. Qualcomm also plans to extend MoveIt’s capabilities to Arduino hardware, starting with the VENTUNO Q board, while maintaining its open-source model.
Looking ahead, Qualcomm's commitment to keeping MoveIt open-source will support community-driven development and third-party hardware. The companies are showcasing MoveIt Pro on the VENTUNO Q and Dragonwing platforms at ROSCon Toronto, indicating a strong focus on collaboration and innovation in the robotics sector. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.
Editor's Note
The acquisition of PickNik by Qualcomm highlights a growing trend in the robotics industry where major tech companies are investing in software capabilities to enhance their hardware offerings. This move not only strengthens Qualcomm's position in the robotics market but also emphasizes the importance of open-source platforms in fostering innovation and collaboration among developers.
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