youBot Store is launching a series of design contests around the topic of mobile manipulation and mobile manipulators especially for research and education.

Although the target platform will be the KUKA youBot mobile manipulator, the proposed solutions will be assessed not only based on their suitability and effectiveness for the KUKA youBot but also on their scalability and reusability.

The design contest will address research and development issues in

1. hardware

1.1. designs or configurations of components (e.g. sensor configurations)

1.2. extensions towards specific applications (e.g. logistics)

2. software

2.1. device-dependent software (e.g. drivers)

2.2. functional aspects (e.g. motion planning, grasp planning)

2.3. architectural aspects (e.g design patterns, interfaces)

In terms of software youBot Store is promoting an open source policy.
Proprietary software will therefore be excluded from the contest.
In terms of hardware we will also allow closed source solutions.

The design proposals will be evaluated by an independent jury of inter-
national experts on a topic by topic base. We accept solutions on three
levels of matureness:
1. operational solution (practical proof of concept)
2. simulated solution or CAD drawing
3. theoretical solution (paperware, slideware) that pass a plausibility
  and feasibility test.

A more specific description of the expected solutions together with the
respective awards will be published with the call for participation.

The first call will address the problem of optimal positioning of
3D sensor onboard a mobile manipulator. It will be published through
this mailing list as well as over the academic mailing lists.