Agilex COBOT KIT (COBOT KIT)

Agilex COBOT KIT (COBOT KIT)

In typical robotics workflows, platforms like the COBOT KIT are used to bridge the gap between laboratory algorithms and real-world deployment. By integrating locomotion, perception, and manipulation into a single system, the kit is positioned for “mobile manipulation” use cases—robots that can move through an environment and physically interact with objects.

Design and Features

Mobile manipulation architecture

The COBOT KIT concept centers on a modular stack:

• Mobile base for movement and payload capacity

• Perception sensors for localization, mapping, and obstacle detection

• Robotic arm for reach and dexterous interaction

• End-effector (gripper) for stable, adaptable grasping

• Onboard compute and networking for autonomy and development workflows 

Quick mapping and navigation focus

AgileX promotes the COBOT KIT as “powered by ROS” and highlights “quick mapping” using a long-range, high-precision multi-beam LiDAR that provides 3D point cloud data for mapping, navigation, and positioning. 
The accompanying user manual also frames the platform around standard robotics development building blocks such as mapping and navigation, RViz visualization, and MoveIt-based grasping control, reflecting common workflows in research and education. 

Technology and Specifications

Mobility, payload, and runtime

AgileX’s product listing emphasizes:

• Payload: 35 kg

• Runtime: 80 minutes

• Speed: up to 1.5 m/s 

Robotic arm options and reach

The product page states the COBOT KIT can be configured with an AUBO i5 or xArm6 robotic arm, targeting different payload/reach requirements and listing a working radius of 819–886 mm. It also describes the platform as suitable for close human-robot interaction during grasping tasks (i.e., without a safety fence), a common theme in collaborative robotics messaging. 

Perception sensors (LiDAR and depth camera)

The user manual identifies common research-grade sensing components, including:

• Intel RealSense D435 depth camera (example values listed include up to ~10 m range, global shutter depth, and depth resolutions such as 1280×720). 

• Velodyne VLP-16 LiDAR, described with typical operational details such as up to 100 m max range, scan frequency 5–20 Hz, and other performance notes. 

These sensor classes are widely used in SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping), obstacle avoidance, and scene understanding pipelines, particularly in ROS-based systems.

Gripper and grasping characteristics

AgileX’s product listing highlights an adaptive electric gripper with:

• ~0.03 mm positioning precision (listed as “-0.03mm” on the page),

• 160 N maximum grasping force, and

• adaptation up to five contact points. 

The manual’s gripper section similarly describes a DH Robot AG-95 style adaptive mechanism and lists values including 45–160 N programmable grasping force, 0–95 mm programmable stroke, and ~0.03 mm repeat positioning accuracy. 

Onboard compute and software environment

The manual describes an onboard industrial PC (IPC) intended for robot development workloads and notes that Ubuntu 18.04 and ROS Melodic (Full Desktop) are preloaded in the referenced configuration.
This aligns with common robotics developer expectations: a Linux + ROS environment, hardware drivers, and standard visualization/control tooling.

Applications and Use Cases

Because the COBOT KIT combines navigation with manipulation, it is commonly positioned for:

• Robotics education and curriculum labs: mapping, localization, path planning, perception, and grasping exercises in a single platform.

• Research prototyping: mobile manipulation research, including autonomous picking, tool use, or human-robot interaction experiments (often using LiDAR point clouds + depth sensing + a 6-DOF arm).

• Commercial proof-of-concept development: early-stage pilots for service robotics, inventory handling, and facility automation where a robot must navigate and physically interact with objects. 

In practical deployments, the “mobile manipulator” pattern is especially relevant where fixed industrial arms are insufficient—e.g., environments that change frequently or where the robot must travel between workstations.

Advantages / Benefits

Integrated stack for faster iteration

A key benefit of an integrated kit is reducing integration overhead. Instead of separately sourcing a mobile base, arm, LiDAR, camera, and compute—and then aligning drivers and frames—the platform aims to deliver a cohesive starting point for mapping, navigation, and manipulation development. 

Research-grade sensing for autonomy

Multi-beam LiDAR and depth cameras are well-established tools for robust autonomy. The COBOT KIT’s emphasis on 3D point clouds for mapping and positioning speaks to typical SLAM and navigation pipelines used in modern robot R&D. 

Manipulation capability beyond mobile robots

Many mobile robots can navigate but cannot pick up, place, or handle objects reliably. Adding an arm + adaptive gripper enables a wider set of workflows—particularly for “pick and place,” object retrieval, and interactive service tasks. 

FAQ Section

What is AgileX COBOT KIT?

AgileX COBOT KIT is a mobile manipulation robot development platform that combines a mobile base, ROS-oriented autonomy tooling, perception sensors (including multi-beam LiDAR), and a robotic arm with an adaptive gripper for research and prototyping. 

How does AgileX COBOT KIT work?

The platform uses onboard compute running a Linux + ROS software environment to process sensor data (e.g., LiDAR point clouds and depth camera input) for mapping and navigation, then coordinates arm and gripper motion for grasping tasks—often via standard ROS tools like RViz and MoveIt workflows.

Why is AgileX COBOT KIT important?

It represents a practical “full-stack” approach to mobile manipulation, enabling teams to prototype autonomy + manipulation together instead of treating navigation and grasping as separate projects. This can reduce development time and simplify experimentation. 

What are the benefits of AgileX COBOT KIT?

Key benefits include an integrated mobile + arm platform, ROS-oriented development support, multi-sensor autonomy readiness (LiDAR + depth camera), and an adaptive gripper designed for precise, robust grasping—useful for both education and early-stage commercial prototypes. 

Summary

AgileX COBOT KIT is a ROS-oriented mobile manipulation platform built to support robotics education, applied research, and commercial prototyping. By integrating a mobile base, multi-beam LiDAR and depth sensing, onboard compute, and an arm-and-gripper manipulation stack, it targets the practical development needs of teams building robots that must both navigate and physically interact with the world.