GPROP
Open robotics for all
Introduction
General Purpose Robotics Open Platform: our humanoid robotics platform will provide modular solutions — starting with a bipedal base — that empowers other entities, includings startups, research labs, and SMEs to develop advanced robotics solutions, lowering barriers to entry and encouraging the development of an open ecosystem competing with closed-garden solutions currently being developed.
Problem
Developing fully autonomous humanoid robots is a daunting task requiring immense resources, impossible to tackle especially for smaller companies and research institutions that might end up being left developing sub-components or having to purchase platforms from closed-garden players.
Currently a limited number of well-funded companies are developing proprietary systems that might in time exert strong pricing and data-exploitation power.
Opportunity
We will create a for-profit platform that can deliver working humanoids, as well as modular components, making customization and collaboration more accessible. Our open, modular robotics platform will enable startups, research labs, and SMEs to build, modify, and deploy bipedal robots more affordably and efficiently. As a result, many potential innovations will be unlocked thanks to an open innovation ecosystem.
Our solution will be based on standardized interfaces and (to the extent possible and safe) open-source control software, enabling rapid experimentation, easy upgrades, and customization. We will seek to partner with other ventures and robotics companies, component manufacturers, research institutions and open-source communities. Our approach will enable more affordable solutions, as well as catalyze and empower the innovation efforts of other ecosystem participants. We will be come the Android / Linux alternative to the iOs / Windows of humanoid robotics.