Robotics Engineering & Sourcing FAQ

Every specification published in our Robot Directory is verified exclusively against primary sources: manufacturer technical user manuals, mechanical drawings, regulatory filings (such as US FDA 510(k) clearances), and standards compliance certificates (ISO 10218, ISO 3691-4).

We strictly forbid synthetic placeholder numbers, automated scrape estimates, and unsubstantiated vendor marketing claims. When primary sources report conflicting figures—such as discrepancies between continuous and peak intermittent payload—we record the exact discrepancy in the record's operational notes with a visible badge. Learn more in our Editorial Standards.

Nominal payload on an industrial datasheet is defined at a strict reference distance from the tool flange (typically 100 mm to 150 mm along the Z-axis). Installing real-world end-of-arm tooling (grippers, suction manifolds, force sensors) introduces both additional mass and an outward Center-of-Gravity (CoG) lever arm:

M_wrist = (m_EOAT · d_EOAT + m_workpiece · d_workpiece) · g ≤ τ_allowable

This extended lever arm multiplies static gravitational torque and dynamic rotational inertia on wrist joints (Joints 4, 5, and 6), causing joint over-current or protective stop errors unless speed and mass are derated. Sizing should be verified with our interactive Cobot Payload Offset Calculator and CoG Engineering Guide.

The difference lies in navigation physics and obstacle handling. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) follow fixed physical paths embedded in or on the facility floor (magnetic tape, wires, 2D QR grids). If an obstruction enters their path, an AGV must come to a complete stop and wait for human clearance.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs, such as the Locus Origin) utilize 2D/3D LiDAR and visual SLAM to build dynamic environmental maps. When confronted by a blocked aisle or walking worker, an AMR computes an obstacle-detour trajectory in real time without altering physical facility infrastructure. Review our AMR vs AGV Selection Guide.

Commercial datasheets advertise battery endurance (e.g. 90 minutes on Spot) under idealized conditions: unloaded walking on level concrete at 20°C with no secondary compute. In active industrial inspection, usable battery runtime frequently drops to 45–60 minutes due to three continuous loads:

• Stance Actuation: 12 joint motors continuously draw current to maintain dynamic equilibrium, doubling power draw on slopes or stairs.
• Hotel Compute Load: 360° LiDARs, thermal radiometric cameras, and edge GPUs consume 80 W to 150 W continuously.
• Sub-Zero Battery Derating: Ambient temperatures below 0°C elevate electrolyte internal resistance, causing voltage sag and triggering automated battery heating.

Review our full telemetry breakdown in the Quadruped Battery Runtime Field Report.

Collaborative robot safety is governed internationally by ISO 10218-1/2 (Industrial robots safety requirements) and ISO/TS 15066:2016 (Collaborative robots technical specification).

An articulated arm is not inherently collaborative by purchase; it becomes collaborative only after an application-level risk assessment. ISO/TS 15066 defines biomechanical pressure and impact force limits across 29 specific human body regions. If tool edges, workpiece shapes, or Tool Center Point (TCP) velocities exceed these thresholds, physical safety fences, laser area scanners, or speed throttling are mandatory.

Commercial robotics pricing is notoriously opaque, often gated behind formal distributor quotes or multi-year enterprise Master Service Agreements (MSAs). At Skyrocket Robotics, we publish pricing only when grounded in:

• Publicly advertised manufacturer launch MSRPs (e.g. Unitree Go2 at $1,600 USD; Boston Dynamics Spot Explorer launch at $74,500 USD).
• Formal distributor price books and public government procurement contracts (GSA schedules).
• Published Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) monthly rate sheets.

Where hardware pricing is confidential or custom-quoted by sales engineers, we transparently mark the pricing field as Commercial Quote Required rather than inventing speculative estimates.

Evaluating academic robotics hardware requires looking beyond raw motor power to three architectural capabilities:

1. Control Loop Bandwidth: High-bandwidth research (impedance control, tactile reinforcement learning) requires 1,000 Hz joint torque interfaces (such as Franka Research 3 FCI) running on a low-jitter PREEMPT_RT Linux kernel ($t_{\text{jitter}} < 50\,\mu\text{s}$).
2. Open ROS 2 Middleware: Official, maintained ROS 2 (Humble or Jazzy) drivers with standard ros2_control hardware interfaces.
3. Digital Twin Fidelity: Open URDF, MuJoCo XML, and Isaac Sim USD models containing authentic inertia matrices and collision geometries.

Read our full procurement guide: Selecting Research Robot Platforms.

Yes. Robotics manufacturers, university research labs, and system integrators are encouraged to submit primary documentation through our Datasheet Submission Desk.

Submissions must include linkable primary sources: PDF user manuals, mechanical drawings, or standards compliance declarations. Our research desk evaluates submissions against our rigorous Editorial Standards before creating or updating a permanent canonical profile.