HEBI Robotics awarded $150,000 grant by NASA – Robotics & Automation News
HEBI Robotics, creator of a robot development platform that makes it possible to quickly design and create robust robots, has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by NASA to develop smart robotic actuation hardware and building blocks that are compatible with the HEBI Platform for robot development, and suitable for use in missions to space.
Bob Raida, CEO of HEBI Robotics, says: “For 10 years, HEBI has been working to streamline the process of developing robots. Customers around the world use our system to create robust robots that would have been infeasible without the HEBI Platform.
“Many of those users are designing systems that will ultimately be deployed in space. This project will make it possible for those users to design and build robots in their lab with the HEBI Platform, knowing that work will carry through to the final production design and system.”
HEBI’s long term goal is to make it easy for any professional to create robust professional grade robots, without requiring years of technical training.
The HEBI Platform is used by developers in a variety of industries, and those robots often need to perform in challenging environments.
Over the years, HEBI has expanded its hardware to be capable of performing in a wider range of environments including wet and dirty environments, and underwater.
This grant will support HEBI’s efforts to further expand the platform with “Space-Rated Modular Robotic Building Blocks”.
The technology developed will make it possible to design and create robots terrestrially with HEBI building blocks, and then transfer that work to space-rated HEBI hardware that can be deployed in missions in space, representing a major leap forward in robotics.
The Phase I SBIR program is designed to encourage small businesses to engage in federal research and development with the potential for commercialization.
By funding innovative projects, NASA aims to foster new technologies that can support space missions and improve our understanding of space and technology.
All proposals submitted to the NASA SBIR/STTR program undergo a rigorous merit-based review process. Once a small business is awarded a Phase I grant, it becomes eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $1 million.