To tap into the dynamically growing market for autonomous mobile robots (AMR), Bosch Rexroth and Agilox recently agreed on a cooperation. The cooperation gives Agilox fast access to additional markets worldwide and expands Bosch Rexroth's product range in mobile robotics. According to the company, the existing product portfolios of both companies complement each other well and will be continuously expanded. The AMRs make it possible to transport everything from small load carriers to pallets of all kinds, currently weighing up to 1.5 tons.

Thanks to the partnership, Bosch Rexroth now offers both AMRs based on the swarm intelligence developed by Agilox and - under the name "ActiveShuttle" - a VDA 5050-compliant product for fleet management systems.

Rokit as a construction kit for mobile robotics

Bosch Rexroth has also further developed the modular "Rokit" mobile robotics kit, which consists of software and hardware components and can be used to quickly implement driverless transport systems, forklift trucks or mobile robots. The company has focused on greater robustness and even simpler user guidance thanks to the "Rokit aXessor" throughout the entire life cycle: from rapid engineering, commissioning and operation without expert knowledge to responsive service. In addition, Rokit now also supports dual laser use and compatibility with reflectors for special application scenarios. The new "Map Expansion" feature also enables the expansion of existing maps.

The Rokit modular system comprises software and hardware components for autonomous driving of vehicles of various architectures and sizes. In an open system, the components fit seamlessly into higher-level control systems and support standard laser scanners. The "Rokit Locator" records the vehicle position in real time and independently creates maps of the surroundings. The "Rokit Navigator" dynamically plans routes and enables the entire fleet to react to obstacles. The "Rokit Motor", a ready-to-install drive module for payloads of up to 1 t, adds powerful standard hardware to the modular system for mobile robots. The drives are already in pilot use.

The improved user interface of the Rokit aXessor, which is now also available in Chinese, simplifies engineering as well as the commissioning, operation and servicing of the vehicles via intuitive perspective changes. No expert knowledge is required. The Rokit aXessor provides centralized access to all Rokit components. After secure login, users only need a few clicks for express mapping without structural measures such as reflectors or strips on the floor. Wizard-supported, users assign the map, which is captured in minutes, to all relevant vehicles in their Rokit Locator fleet. The visualization shows how many and which vehicles (clients) are active on the section shown on the map. Operation does not require any expert knowledge either.

The basic version of the free Rokit aXessor includes all functions for commissioning and operating a fleet. In future, the "Rokit aXessor Plus" extension will provide additional convenient functions for operating large fleets. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) runs under both Windows and Linux.

Dual laser and reflector operation

The current release of Rokit already supports dual-laser operation. Using the second laser, vehicles can drive forwards and backwards safely without having to turn. The Rokit Locator still does not require any structural installations to determine the position within the mapped environment with centimeter accuracy. Optionally, reflector strips can increase the robustness of laser localization at key points. This means that the Rokit Locator can be used without structural measures in areas that often pose a challenge for laser localization techniques.

Another new feature is the "Map Expansion" function. It expands existing maps using a graphically guided mapping algorithm. Users can map new corridors or additional halls and outdoor areas without expert knowledge or infrastructure adjustments.

Customized service packages

With Service Level Agreements (SLA) for Rokit, Bosch Rexroth accompanies OEMs and end users through their day-to-day operations. The SLAs include, for example, first level support with guaranteed short response times worldwide in the event of an urgent need for action. They also include free updates with the latest features and functions of the Rokit Locator. The services are billed annually.

The Rokit Locator, Rokit Navigator and Rokit Motor components, which are operated centrally via the Rokit aXessor, automate autonomous vehicles in intralogistics as well as mobile robots for manufacturing and for applications in retail and hospitals. The modular system is to be expanded in future to include further mobile robotics modules.