YOR: Your Own Mobile Manipulator for Generalizable Robotics

2026-02-11

AI Summary

This work proposes and implements an open-source, modular mobile manipulation platform costing under $10,000, addressing the challenge of simultaneously achieving omnidirectional mobility, bimanual coordination, and system scalability in low-cost robotic systems. The platform integrates an omnidirectional base, a vertically telescoping lift mechanism, and dual gripper-equipped arms, all constructed from commercial off-the-shelf components. It incorporates whole-body motion planning and autonomous navigation algorithms to enable coordinated full-body control, bimanual manipulation, and autonomous locomotion. Experimental results demonstrate that the system successfully executes complex, multi-stage tasks with performance comparable to significantly more expensive platforms, thereby substantially lowering the barrier to entry for both research and real-world applications in mobile manipulation.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Manipulation
• Computer Vision: Low Level & Physics-based Vision
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Replanning and Plan Repair

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Energy management for devices in mobile Web and WoT environments
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Cost models of using LLMs in production systems
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy

Abstract

Recent advances in robot learning have generated significant interest in capable platforms that may eventually approach human-level competence. This interest, combined with the commoditization of actuators, has propelled growth in low-cost robotic platforms. However, the optimal form factor for mobile manipulation, especially on a budget, remains an open question. We introduce YOR, an open-source, low-cost mobile manipulator that integrates an omnidirectional base, a telescopic vertical lift, and two arms with grippers to achieve whole-body mobility and manipulation. Our design emphasizes modularity, ease of assembly using off-the-shelf components, and affordability, with a bill-of-materials cost under 10,000 USD. We demonstrate YOR's capability by completing tasks that require coordinated whole-body control, bimanual manipulation, and autonomous navigation. Overall, YOR offers competitive functionality for mobile manipulation research at a fraction of the cost of existing platforms. Project website: https://www.yourownrobot.ai/

Problem

• mobile manipulation
• low-cost robotics
• form factor
• robot design
• affordable platforms

Innovation

• mobile manipulator
• low-cost robotics
• whole-body control
• bimanual manipulation
• open-source platform