Clearpath Robotics has announced a grant programme that would see academic and corporate researches receive a mobile robot.
The PartnerBot Grant Programme, which the company said aims to advance robotic development, includes the Husky unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and Dingo indoor research platform, and offers discounts on sensors and accessories to qualifying projects.
According to Clearpath, the Husky UGV can be used for rapid prototyping and research applications and is all-terrain. It has been deployed in robotics research labs around the world for advancing teleoperation research in hazardous environments, construction monitoring, nuclear waste removal and agricultural automation.
Released last year, the Dingo indoor research platform has a modular design and supports differential and omnidirectional drive configurations. It is suitable for a wide range of indoor robotics research applications ranging from autonomous navigation, mobile manipulation, and mapping.
As part of the grant programme’s one-year commitment, selected academic and corporate research teams will be able to use Husky or Dingo to pursue robotics research.
Julian Ware, general manager at Clearpath Robotics, said: “This year has been extremely challenging for so many reasons. While Covid-19 has created a number of opportunities in robotics, it has also provided new obstacles to academic research funding, and exciting projects from startups and academia have had to be put on hold.
“The PartnerBot grant programme is our way of giving back to the community that has been so supportive of us over the years. We want to see these groups not only survive in uncertain times, but thrive in the years to come.”
The deadline for applications is 13 November 2020. Award recipients will be announced by Clearpath Robotics on 18 November 2020.
