Senior Robotics Automation Engineer

Intrinsic open sources key parts of its platform for easier development. Intrinsic also released the Open Machine Tending Solution, an open reference design for CNC machine tending. Source: Intrinsic Today, Intrinsic, an AI robotics group that joined Google this year, released Intrinsic Core, an open-source set of Robot Operating System-compatible capabilities for building robotic applications. With the release, Intrinsic said more of the world's developers will be able to build with foundational parts of the Intrinsic platform. Robotics teams currently spend hundreds of hours coding robotic capabilities or infrastructure from scratch, according to Intrinsic. The company said it took the capabilities it developed for real manufacturing deployments and turned them into a pre-configured software environment that runs on local hardware. The capabilities act like the building blocks of robot behavior. Users can quickly and easily combine them to achieve adaptive AI systems, it claimed. "From Intrinsic's perspective, I can say this is something that we're committing to," Brian Gerkey, chief technology officer at Intrinsic and co-founder and board chair of Open Robotics, told The Robot Report. "This is not us coming by and dropping off some code and saying, 'Have fun.' What we're sharing this week is the core of our own software stack, this is a thing that we're also depending on. This represents a durable commitment from Intrinsic to share this with the community." By design, these capabilities are ROS-compatible and offer more ways to improve existing applications, or build new ones. "The release of Intrinsic Core is both the first step and a demonstration of where I think robotics is going to go and where developing robotics is going to go. We're going to see robots being so much easier to produce, thanks to platforms like Intrinsic Core coming out," Geoffrey Biggs, CTO of the Open Source Robotics Foundation, told The Robot Report. Intrinsic announced Intrinsic Core at ROSCon 2026 in Toronto. Intrinsic Core is available on Intrinsic's GitHub today. Intrinsic released the capabilities under a permissive Apache 2.0 license. How did Intrinsic decide what to include in Intrinsic Core? "The way we thought about it is, we've built a lot of software; which parts of it do we think are filling in gaps that exist in the ROS ecosystem?" said Gerkey. "The ROS ecosystem is very strong. There's a tremendous amount of things that you can do with it, and we know we'll see a bunch of exhibitors here at ROSCon this week who are showing off the things that you can do with ROS. That doesn't mean it's complete or perfect." At the center of Intrinsic Core is Intrinsic Control, a hardware-agnostic, real-time control framework. Intrinsic said it delivers fast, sensor-based control, and allows the robot to dynamically adapt its behavior mid-trajectory based on changes in the environment. It allows users to swap out different robot arms, grippers, sensors, and more without needing to rewrite drivers. The release also includes: * Pose estimation: Intrinsic used NVIDIA's FoundationPose to provide a six degree-of-freedom (6 DoF) pose estimation of 3D parts. This enables robots to detect and handle parts, and it removes the need for rigid, expensive physical fixtures. With built-in compatibility with NVIDIA FoundationPose, a unified foundation model for 6D object pose estimation and tracking, developers can use this feature out of the box and without needing to write custom pipeline wrappers. * Motion planning: This replaces the need to program robots manually, joint by joint, in a position-controlled way. Intrinsic said that easy-to-integrate logic auto-generates efficient paths while avoiding collisions - making it fast and easy to use a variety of robots. * Grasp planning: This enables various grippers to automatically and dynamically adapt to the location and orientation of a part, and grasp it with a higher probability of success. It leverages real time sensor feedback to pick parts, wherever they're located. * Simulation services: Powered by Gazebo, this provides users with a way for testing and troubleshooting robotic solutions that update as they build. With visualization, developers can debug and validate application logic, state machines and workcell behaviors from one place. * Camera calibration: This automates how a robot's camera can be calibrated and physically aligned, streamlining its setup and the configuration of a robot's vision system. * ROS drivers: Intrinsic offers pre-configured, ROS-compatible drivers for supported robots, grippers, and 3D cameras. Through tight coupling between sensor calibration and controls, a pre-tuned setup improves the speed for getting sensors and robots talking to each other more quickly when building solutions, it said. Intrinsic Core can make it faster, easier to build reliable robots. According to Intrinsic, Intrinsic Core can help its users with two things: faster development and building more reliable robots. "We've seen this from the start with ROS, that having all these tools available right from the start really accelerated robotics," said Biggs. "When ROS came out and started being used in academia, research started speeding up, and then people started using it in startup companies to produce new products. We saw such a massive acceleration of development." When it comes to reliability, Gerkey said it's important to remember that reliability needs to be thought about in every step of development. "It's really important to recognize that I don't have a store of reliability in the back, where we can bring some and sprinkle it on top," he noted. "Reliability is about the process and approach and diligence. It's a long-running activity that you have to be really committed to." There are companies that have build reliable systems and scaled on top of ROS, but they all had to build that infrastructure on their own and spend a lot of effort doing this, Gerkey said. So Intrinsic isn't building something entirely new. "We're bringing in standard Linux containerization combined with Kubernetes to allow you to basically bring that together in a way that fits naturally with your ROS workflows," Gerkey said. "The Intrinsic Core is a step towards the point in the future where we get to have the equivalent of the red hats and the canonicals of robotics," added Biggs. "They're providing platforms upon which you can product a robot product at production quality, deployment quality, with minimal effort, because they provide all the stuff you need that builds on ROS." Open Machine Tending Solution gives developers a jump start. To give developers and integrators an early head start with Intrinsic Core, the company is also releasing the Open Machine Tending Solution (OMTS). This runs both on Intrinsic Core and with the ROS Suite. OMTS is a ready-made reference design for a real-world machine shop use case. "It's important to have those well-lit paths that show you this is not just a box of parts with some potential," said Gerkey. "It's a box of parts with some things that we've gone through the trouble to build, so you can be confident that you can build a thing like that." Also built to be open, OMTS makes customization possible for different assets, including models from FANUC and Universal Robots. For fabricators and machine shops around the world, intelligently-adaptive machine tending systems can assist operators day to day while helping improve machine utilization and automating lower value tasks. "We really want to give people a clear starting point, and also give them a strong value proposition," Gerkey said. "I think having that reference application gives more value to the user, and also, frankly, it keeps us as the developers of the system honest, because it's a way to prove to ourselves that the system is complete enough to allow us to build a system like that." Intrinsic starts with a specific user, but hopes to expand with time. Right now, Gerkey said the ideal user for Intrinsic Core is someone already familiar with ROS who is interested in doing manipulation-based work. In addition, Intrinsic Core is a platform for robotic arms; it doesn't support mobile robots or humanoids. It's also aimed at commercial deployments. "When we launched ROS in the late 2000s, it was squarely targeted at a researcher," recalled Gerkey. "We always had in mind, what does the best grad student in the best robotics lab in the world need to do their work?" "We pretty quickly went way beyond that with ROS and got to domains that were not just the mobile manipulators that we had created at Willow Garage, but also many other types of robots and many other applications," he added. "I think there's an opportunity here for Intrinsic Core to have a similar expansion." Gerkey said he hopes that as Intrinsic gains trust with users in one area, it can expand to new areas. "If you come out of the gates and say, 'We intend to be all things to all people,' the chances that you're going to succeed there are pretty slim," he acknowledged. "I think it's important to come out and say, 'Here's who we're targeting; here's the value proposition that we think we have for them.' Then, once we show traction there, and we've earned the credibility to expand, then let's expand beyond that." In the meantime, Biggs said Open Robotics hopes to see more platforms like Intrinsic Core come out in the future. "There's going to be so much more you can do in so much shorter time, which is going to be great for accelerating the breadth of applications that robots start taking on," Biggs said. "Intrinsic Core is going to demonstrate that in industrial manipulation."

Okuma America Corporation to exhibit at IMTS 2026 with comprehensive lineup. Jul 24, 2026, 14:34 ET Newly Designed Machines, Open-architecture CNC Control, Multiple Automation Systems, Intelligent Technologies, World-Class Services, Sustainable Initiatives, & More to be Featured CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - The leadership team at Okuma America Corporation, a global leader and single-source builder of computer numeric control (CNC) machine tools, controls, and automation systems, is excited to announce the company's exhibition plans for the 2026 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) to be held in Chicago, Illinois, from September 14 to 19, 2026. Within its 17,000 square-foot booth, the company plans to showcase a comprehensive offering for the metalworking industry featuring new CNC machine tools, an industry-leading CNC control, a robust line of automation systems, intelligent manufacturing technologies, new world-class services, and more. Okuma America Corporation will host a media event in the South Hall (Booth #338500) on Tuesday, September 15 at 2:00 pm to highlight the company's IMTS offerings, share insights from the Okuma leadership team, and showcase latest technologies during booth tours. New & Notable Four CNC Machines to Make Americas Debut Of the 11 CNC machine tools Okuma will exhibit at IMTS 2026, four will make their debut in the Americas: * NEW - Okuma MB-100V Vertical Machining Center * NEW - Okuma GENOS M4000H-e Horizontal Machining Center * NEW - Okuma MS-320H Horizontal Machining Center * NEW - Okuma MULTUS U1000 Multitasking Lathe Okuma Factory Automation and Peripherals Okuma will present a comprehensive lineup of automation systems developed by the Okuma Factory Automation (OFA) Group, along with best-in-class solutions from its industry partners, all of which seamlessly integrate with Okuma machines. Leading the charge on automation innovation, Okuma is partnering with Intrinsic AI to display an AI automation robot cell. The company is pleased to announce that 9 of its 11 IMTS 2026 CNC machine tools will be paired with automation systems, including three solutions making their debut in the Americas: * NEXT GENERATION - Okuma Robot Loader (ORL) Series Enhancements & Additions - easy-to-integrate robotic systems designed to load and unload workpieces from machines * Okuma Robot Loader Drawer II (ORL-D II) * Okuma Robot Loader for Machining Centers (ORL-MC II) with pallet * Okuma Robot Loader Plus with Pallet (ORL+) - a system designed to perform multiple functions * NEW - Okuma Tower Pallet Changer - vertical, two-level pallet changer with 13-pallet capacity * NEW - Modular Automatic Tool Changer NEW Virtual Reality Experience Okuma will provide IMTS 2026 attendees with the opportunity to explore various Okuma machine models in a virtual reality environment. A dedicated area within the Okuma booth (booth #338500) will be available for participants to wear a virtual reality headset to view, walk around, and interact with a virtual 3D model of various Okuma CNC machine tools. This includes models beyond what is physically being exhibited within the booth, such as the MCR-A5CII double column machining center. NEW Explore the Okuma Global Repair Center Okuma is thrilled to share details of its newly constructed Global Repair Center at its headquarters campus in Charlotte, NC. The 35,000 square-foot facility brings mechanical and electrical repair, component exchange, upgrades, and legacy part fabrication together in a new, state-of-the-art building that is four times larger than previous dedicated space. Backed by advanced inspection, testing, CNC simulation, and thousands of ready-to-ship parts, the facility maximizes uptime, safeguards Okuma users' investment, and reinforces Okuma's promise to Passionately Pursue a Customer for Life. Booth visitors may explore the new facility via a 3D-printed model and watch a video of the facility's impressive operations. NEW Tribute to America 250 Okuma is pleased to recognize and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America with several tributes within its booth experience. Booth visitors can see an intricately-crafted Bald Eagle which is being created on the Okuma MU-8000V vertical machining center. Additionally, the company will also reward attendees who complete an in-booth survey with an exclusive baseball hat that features an American flag design element. Also, the GENOS M4000H-e horizontal machining center, which will be making its Americas Debut, will feature a one-of-a-kind patriotic graphics theme, produced by the company's NASCAR partner, Richard Childress Racing. Okuma Machine Featured in Partner Booth Okuma is proud to partner with 50+ companies in the manufacturing industry through our Partners in Technology program, many who will be featured in demonstrations throughout the Okuma booth. Several program members are also exhibiting at IMTS 2026, including Air Turbine Tool. They will feature an Okuma GENOS M560-V vertical machining center in working display at their booth (#431645). Comprehensive Technology Lineup Okuma will showcase 11 CNC machine tools at the show, representing a wide range of the company's vast product lines. Among these are four new products making their Americas debut. Additionally, ten unique automation systems will be on display, including three proprietary innovations from Okuma Factory Automation. The distinctive OSP-P500 control system will be featured on 9 of the 11 CNC machines in the booth, as well as on free-standing interactive simulators. Okuma will also highlight key components of its world-class service and support program. Okuma's complete IMTS 2026 machine, control, and automation lineup includes: | Okuma Machining Centers | Paired Automation System | | GENOS M4000H-e - NEW | Internal Two-Station Automatic Pallet Changer (APC) | | MB-100V - NEW | / | | MB-5000HII | Okuma Tower Pallet Changer | | MS-320H - NEW | Okuma Robot Loader Drawer II (ORL-D II) | | MU-8000V | Modular Automation Cell | | GENOS M460V-5AX (5-axis) | Okuma Robot Loader Machining Center II (ORL-MC II) & Modular Automatic Tool Changer (ATC) | | Lathes | Paired Automation System | | LB2000 EX III MYW | Okuma Robot Loader Plus with pallet (ORL+) | | LT2000 EX 3T3MY | Okuma NC Unloader and LNS Bar Feeder | | LU3000 EX | Okuma Gantry Loader (OGL) | | Multitasking Lathes | Paired Automation System | | MULTUS U1000 - NEW | / | | Grinder | Paired Automation System | | GA26W | Okuma Robot Loader Plus with pallet (ORL+) | Other Highlights Okuma Speaking & Media Engagements There will be multiple opportunities for show visitors to attend speaking engagements led by Okuma executive leadership and experts, including: * Okuma Press Conference on Tuesday, 9/15 at 2 PM CST, located in the Virtual Reality section of Okuma Booth (booth #338500) * Simon Schneider, Director of Okuma Factory Automation, to present "The Automation Impact: Short-Term Wins to Long-Term Transformations" at Room W192-C on Tuesday, 9/15 at 2:15 CST * Wade Andersion, Vice President of Engineering and Okuma Factory Automation, to present at the Blaser Swisslube Booth (booth #431228) on Tuesday 9/15 at 3 PM CST Okuma is pleased to partner with a variety of manufacturing trade publications for scheduled media engagement and filming sessions throughout IMTS 2026. This includes outlets such as Practical Machinist, MTD CNC, Modern Machine Shop, and more. Sustainability Initiatives At Okuma, we're working together to build a better machine tool and a better future. Okuma CNC machines are equipped with Okuma's "Green Smart Machine" technology, a series of combined technologies that harmonize high-performance machining with intelligent energy management controls. Specifically, these technologies include Okuma's proprietary ECO suite plus and Thermo-Friendly Concept, both of which will be displayed at IMTS 2026. Okuma Best-in-Class Distributor Network In support of Okuma's mission of 'Passionately Pursuing a Customer for Life', Okuma has created strategic relationships with best-in-class distributorships to support customer needs within their local regions of operation. Representatives from each of Okuma's distributors will be onsite at IMTS 2026. Okuma Partners in Technology Okuma's Partners in Technology network brings together 50+ companies that represent best-in-class manufacturing solutions and technologies that pair perfectly with Okuma CNC machine tools. About Okuma America Corporation Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales, marketing, engineering, and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world-leading builder of CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, controls, and automation systems. The company was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan, and is the industry's only single-source provider of CNC machines, drives, motors, encoders, spindles, and automation systems, all manufactured by Okuma. The company designs its own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool's functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store, the industry's only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content at that time. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in Technology network of enhanced manufacturing technologies, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools today and into the future. For more information, visit Okuma.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. SOURCE Okuma America Corporation