OpenMind, a US startup with a passion for robotics, is making significant strides by placing software at the heart of its innovation. Their OS, OM1, is designed to work seamlessly across any hardware, letting humanoid robots operate as a unified network rather than isolated units.
At the core of this breakthrough is FABRIC—a new protocol that lets robots verify their identity and exchange context on the fly. If you’ve ever wrestled with the challenges of getting tech systems to communicate, you’ll appreciate how FABRIC is paving the way for smoother, real‑world interactions.
With $20 million in funding backing its vision, OpenMind is on a mission to create an open, decentralised network of smart machines. The goal? To make robotic intelligence something that’s accessible, versatile, and truly united.
In the words of CEO Jan Liphardt, “If AI is the brain and robotics is the body, coordination is the nervous system. Without it, there’s no intelligence – just motion.” His insight highlights a familiar pain point: too often, robots work in isolation, stuck in proprietary ecosystems that limit their potential.
To tackle this, OM1 has been built as a universal cognitive framework. It comes equipped with perception, basic models, memory, and contextual understanding—features that let robots sense their surroundings, interpret natural language, and make real‑time decisions, all while bridging the gap between diverse hardware.
FABRIC complements OM1 by providing a secure method for machines to easily verify identity, share their location, and swap crucial information with systems they haven’t met before. Imagine a delivery robot recognising a Waymo vehicle, confirming its details, and autonomously handling a package transfer.
The company’s first fleet of OM1-powered robotic dogs is set to hit the streets this September. These units aren’t just a tech demonstration; they’re part of an iterative process where early users help fine‑tune the system based on real-world feedback in homes, schools, and workplaces.
Beyond building individual robots, OpenMind is working towards an open ecosystem where machines learn from each other and continuously improve. By tapping into real-life data, they aim to pinpoint opportunities where robotic skills can better align with everyday needs.
This hands-on approach is not only engineering a smarter future for robotics—it’s also ensuring that technology grows in step with the challenges of our changing world.
