Discover how open platforms and Physical AI can transform your automation strategy
FANUC is collaborating with NVIDIA to advance the implementation of Physical AI in industrial robots. Moreover, FANUC robots will realize a digital twin in a photorealistic virtual factory by NVIDIA Isaac Sim™, an open-source, reference robotic simulation framework built on NVIDIA Omniverse™ libraries, for simulation.
FANUC has officially released its ROS 2 driver for the CRX Collaborative Robot Series, marking a major milestone in open-source robotics and industrial automation. This breakthrough empowers developers, researchers, and manufacturers to build intelligent robotic applications using the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2)—a modern, scalable framework for real-time robot control.
One of the greatest advantages of an open platform is the flexibility to use computing resources from both cloud data centers and edge servers, all connected via next-generation high-speed communication. This means manufacturers can scale automation, optimize performance, and adapt quickly to changing production needs.
The FANUC ROS 2 driver is available now for the CRX Collaborative Robot Series and several other models. Developers can access documentation, installation guides, and support via FANUC CORPORATION’s official GitHub repositories.
Discover the ROS 2 Driver
FANUC robots can identify and track workpieces moving in three dimensions, following them precisely in real time. This enables operations such as tightening screws on moving parts, a task that traditionally required precise fixturing or part stabilization. With 1 millisecond high‑speed tracking performance, high-speed 3D tracking ensures consistent accuracy even in dynamic environments.
FANUC robots equipped with AI-driven perception can detect nearby people and adjust their paths in real time without stopping production. If a human enters the robot’s working area, the robot automatically modifies its trajectory to avoid contact. Once the area is clear, the robot returns to its original path and continues the task. This enables safe, uninterrupted collaboration on the factory floor.
Two FANUC robot arms can work together to perform highly dexterous wiring operations. The system detects cable tension in real time and manipulates soft, flexible cables with human-like sensitivity. Leveraging multi-axis articulation, the robots route cables across complex 3D paths—including height, depth, and tilt—while maintaining accurate handling and preventing damage.
FANUC robots can recognize voice commands in multiple languages, automatically generate Python programs using generative AI, and execute the resulting tasks while perceiving their surroundings. Users provide instructions verbally, and the robot interprets the language, generates the appropriate program and carries out the requested action.
These capabilities also support complex tasks such as:
These tasks previously required specialized programming but can now be executed through intuitive voice commands.
FANUC supports advanced simulation and digital‑twin technologies that allow manufacturers to design, test, and validate robotic systems before deployment. Photorealistic virtual factory environments help teams model robot behavior, evaluate cell layouts, and optimize performance in a risk‑free setting. FANUC robots are available in formats suitable for modern simulation platforms, enabling cycle‑time analysis, trajectory validation, and AI training data generation in virtual production workflows. These tools shorten commissioning time and improve overall system accuracy.
FANUC’s simulation ecosystem—such as its offline programming tools—supports the exchange of trajectory and performance data with external simulation environments. This allows developers to model real robot behavior with greater fidelity and validate system performance earlier in the design process.
* ROS is a trademark of the Open Source Robotics Foundation.
** Python is a registered trademark of the Python Software Foundation.
*** GitHub is a registered trademark of GitHub, Inc.