Umbratek launched a kickstarter to (pre)sell a new series of collaborative robots (cobots). This new product line is called the UTRA series, and it is a modular robot built from a set of different links lengths and joint motors.  The joints are driven by the patented, Umbratek ADRA series actuators. The kickstarter project has already reached to the funding milestone, so now is the time to jump in if you’re intrigued by the design of this robot. The Kickstarter ends on May 10, 2021. The most expensive robot in the Kickstarter series is less than $9,000 (USD).

The ADRA-HR actuators are a completely self contained motor and harmonic reducer gear assembly. This design simplifies the configuration of a robot, as the link length can be modified by changing the length of the tube between actuators. Umbratek is currently selling individual actuators, as well as five different sized, complete robots. The product family includes one SCARA configuration and four 6-axis configurations. You can check out the Kickerstarter page or the Umbratek website for complete details about the UTRA series product family.

The ADRA actuators are really the “secret sauce” for the company. There are five different actuators in the ADRA family. We expect that at some point in the future (after the Kickstarter delivery), you will be able to purchase and configure your own custom robot from Umbratek. You’ll buy the individual components and easily configure a cobot that fits your application exactly.

Use caution with any Kickstarter project

While it looks like the Umbratek Kickstarter has reached its goal and will be funded, the robots will not be delivered until October 2021. Also, remember that a Kickstarter project offers no guarantee of delivery. Things can, and do, go wrong with Kickstarter projects. Note also that chip supply chains around the world are currently in flux, and many manufacturers are struggling to find alternate suppliers. So, don’t depend on buying a production robot from a Kickstarter project without having a backup plan.