NODE Robotics: Making Mobile Robots Work – Together

NODE Robotics: Making Mobile Robots Work – Together

Deploying mobile robots is easy. Operating them efficiently and reliably in real-world environments is not. NODE Robotics addresses this challenge with a proven, modular software platform that makes mobile robots easier to deploy, operate, and scale. Founded in Germany in 2020, NODE focuses on software to reduce operational complexity as automation grows. The result is a consistent control layer that enables mobile robots to work together reliably, regardless of manufacturer or fleet size.

Technology and Product

At the core of NODE Robotics’ portfolio is NODE.OS, a comprehensive, hardware-agnostic software platform for mobile robots. NODE.OS is modular by design and spans the full autonomy stack—from precise localization and hybrid navigation to centralised coordination and fleet-level control. NODE.OS is not limited to fleet manage-ment. It enables mobile robots at every stage of deployment: From small installations with a limited number of robots to large, complex fleets operating across dynamic environments. By abstracting robot-specific interfaces, NODE.OS creates a unified operational logic that allows different mobile robots to run within the same system. This aims to reduce integration effort, avoids vendor lock-in, and supports gradual scaling without re-engineering the software archi-tecture. The navigation stack is designed for real-time operation, adapting continuously to changing layouts, priorities, and workloads while maintaining pre-dictable and stable behavior.

NODE Robotics delivers plug-and-play software designed specifically for mobile robot OEMs (© Kichl Studio for NODE Robotics)

Industrial Fit and Applications

NODE.OS is designed for intralogistics and production environments where mobile robots support material transport, replenishment, and production supply. It is used in distribution centers and manufacturing facilities that require reliable, safe, and scalable operations alongside human workers. A core com-ponent is NODE.move, which applies a hybrid navigation approach combining AGV-level reliability with AMR flexibility. Robots follow a shared roadmap with defined lanes to ensure predictable traffic behavior, while dynamically avoiding obstacles within their lane to maintain continuous operation. By centrally managing navigation, traffic flow, and task coordination, NODE.OS enables robots to operate as a unified system. This allows companies to start small and scale to larger fleets while maintaining a consistent operational model.

NODE portfolio offers insights on robot localization, hybrid navigation and fleet management. (© Kichl Studio for NODE Robotics)

Founding Team

NODE Robotics was founded in 2020 by Dr. Stefan Doerr-Laukien (CEO), Lukas Teichmann (CFO/COO), and Jannik Abbenseth (CTO), emerging from research at the Fraunhofer Institute. The team combines expertise in robotics, operations, and technology development, with a shared focus on building hardware-agnostic software to simplify the de-velopment and management of mobile robots in intralogistics. Today, NODE.OS powers more than 1,500 mobile robots worldwide—across diverse industries, applications, and hardware ecosystems.