FANUC strongly supports open platforms to accelerate automation by applying AI advancements to robots. As part of this initiative, FANUC announced the release of a dedicated controller for FANUC robots on the open source robotic development platform “ROS 2,” available as open source software on GitHub, the world’s largest development platform for storing, sharing, and managing source code.
FANUC robots also support Python, a programming language widely used in AI development, making them ideal for implementing physical AI on open platforms.
One of the advantages of an open platform is the ability to flexibly utilize cloud computing resources (data centers) and edge servers connected via high-speed, next-generation communications.
Many companies, startups, universities, and research institutions are exploring physical AI using ROS and Python. Supporting an open platform by publishing the source code for the FANUC ROS 2 controller for robots, enabling Python execution, and allowing high-speed external command input facilitates the introduction of highly reliable FANUC robots that combine physical AI—ranging from small robots with a 3 kg payload to large robots up to 2.3 tons—with the latest AI technologies in manufacturing plants.
At the International Robotics Exhibition last December, FANUC showcased real-world examples of physical AI applications implemented on an open platform for the first time. Visitors were able to see, touch, and interact with moving FANUC robotic systems, experiencing firsthand how the latest AI technologies can be used on the production floor.
Key features of the FANUC ROS 2 controller:
- Compatible with the ros2_control framework, enabling high-precision, real-time motion control.
- It supports ultra-high-speed 1 ms control, one of the highest standards in the industry.
- In addition to FANUC’s CRX series collaborative robots, FANUC robots ranging from small ones with a 3 kg payload to large robots up to 2.3 tons can be connected via the ROS 2 controller.