Robotics Equipment Corporation GmbH was founded in 2004 by C. Verbeek. The goal was and is the development of mobile robotic systems for training, as technology demonstrator and for real industrial applications. The Robotics Equipment Corporation covers the entire spectrum of development, starting with the mechanical design, the development of electrical components to programming graphical user interfaces and simulation environments.

Our goal is to be a technology leader in the rapidly growing market of professional mobile robot systems. The focus lies in mobile manipulators, their sensors and their programming. In order to achieve this, we closely cooperate with the Chair of Robotics and Embedded Systems at TU Munich. Ongoing discussions with our partners from the industry help to transform latest research results into industry standard products.

The first prototype of a mobile robot platform was developed in 2004. This first design called Robertino found use in many research and training facilities. Based on the findings of Robertino, we developed Robotino® for our partner Festo Didactic. This award-winning robot is being sold since 2006 and has users around the world. Robotino® can be equipped with an array of additional sensors and actuators. Robotino® is both a tool for training, and an ideal platform for research purposes.

The success of Robotino® is lies in its robust mechanical design. This provides a stable and reliable platform for development. The software on Robotino® is completely open-source. The PC104 on Robotino® runs under Ubuntu/Linux. The source code of all the services on Robotino® can be downloaded.

Robotino® can be programmed in C, C++, Java or .NET. A link to Matlab and LabView also exists. Since version 2, the graphical programming environment Robotino® View can be extended with native C++ plug-ins.

Robotino® is consistently developed in cooperation with our partner Festo Didactic. In addition to the constant expansion of the supply of additional sensors and actuators, a large part of the development work is spent for the improvement of the operating software Robotino® View. With the introduction of version 2 in 2009, Robotino® View has evolved from a specialized tool for graphical programming of Robotino® to an extendible framework with user created plug-ins. This allows Robotino® View to be used in any application scenario.

We have developed the 3D design software LabCreator® for our partner Festo Didactic. This is professional tools enables the creation of laboratory environments and maintain a three dimensional view.

On the established base of LabCreator®, we have developed a physical simulator for Robotino® using the latest technologies. Using the physical phenomenon of a "physics engine", we calculate the friction, momentum, inertia and gravity. This produces a highly accurate virtual image of reality. Since October 2009, the simulator is being distributed under the name Robotino® SIM Professional by Festo Didactic.

For the programming and on-line control of mobile robots and mobile manipulators special software is required, which on the one hand should be extremely efficient and on the other hand simple to operate. The ease of use is especially necessary when the robots leave the research lab and capture a wider market.

With the software Robotino® View complex controls can be designed easily. Robotino® View (later under the name REConnect®) will serve as the basis of all future developments of Robotics Equipment Corporation.

Another core technology related to mobile robots and mobile manipulators is cameras. The flood of images can be processed directly in an intelligent camera. By eliminating an external computer, weight and energy can be saved. Additionally, the mechanical and electrical construction of a robot can be simplified enormously if no central (powerful) computing unit is needed.

The Robotics Equipment Corporation is engaged in the BMBF funded project VisCam. The project is targeted at the development of software for intelligent cameras so that a robot can be controlled directly from the camera without any further components.