TDK Corporation announced at CES 2022 the TDK RoboKit1, its newest solution to the SmartRobotics product family.

The next-generation robotic development board provides a robust hardware platform accompanied by full ROS1 and ROS2 compliant drivers and software algorithms. This enables quick prototyping and development for robotic developers, designers, and enthusiasts.  

At a virtual press conference at CES 2022, Anson Yeganegi, Sr. Manager, Business Development for Systems and Solutions Team at TDK Invesense, shares his optimism of the robotics market. “Robotics is set to register its record years, and is poised to record 12 percent average growth annually on the consumer side alone.”

He noted robotics’s similarity to internet of things as a catch all, serving a broad range of industry from industrial, to consumer to surveillance, and services.

TDK’s Expanse of Components

TDK continues to dominate the robotics industry by advancing the market with quintessential sensors, controllers, batteries, and components. Leveraging on this strength, TDK has created a single-solution platform that integrates all technologies from all TDK companies.

TDK RoboKit1 will be offered both as a stand-alone development platform and a full robot reference design. The board will consist of a range of TDK technology, including a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU), capacitive barometric pressure sensor, digital I²S microphone (x4), temperature sensor, embedded motor controller, and magnetometer.

The open-source board will also include TDK’s industrial IMU sensor module via flex cables, and a full robotic chassis and 3D printed casing depending on which version of the platform is purchased. This option allows all end customers to develop a fully functional robotic reference design.

“TDK’s vision is to promote problem-solving solutions that integrate technology from across the TDK companies. TDK RoboKit1 provides innovative hardware from multiple TDK group companies. It also provides full software stacks and algorithms that solve real robotics problems,” says Peter Hartwell, CTO of InvenSense.

“This is truly a first of its kind and will help fast track robotics at any point during the development process, creating feature value that will set customers apart from their competition,” says Hartwell.

Key Features, Benefits

Among the main features of the new development platform includes ultra-low noise and exceptional relative accuracy, ultra-low power. It offers the best gyroscope temperature stability and. obstacle detection for any color objects in all lighting conditions. It features floor type and cliff detection using ultrasonic sensors.

The board integrates the RoboVac algorithm using IMU data for heading computation and robot Motor Control APIs. A“Hi TDK” keyword spotting with noise filter and noise cancellation is also included. Aside from ROS1 and ROS2 drivers for all on-board sensors, it features BLE enabled Windows and Android Apps for sensors and algorithms evaluation and data collection.

The TDK RoboKit1 is available to order now through distribution channels worldwide. Mainly designed for industrial and consumer robotics as well as drones, it will be available for shipping in the middle of Q1 2022.