Delivery robots and 3D printed bicycle saddles. Josef Průša has selected the most promising projects of his accelerator
Prague, 13 July 2021 – PrusaLab, the high-tech workshop of Czech 3D printer manufacturer Josef Průša, has supported two projects through its acceleration programme by providing investments, mentoring and technological facilities. These are Vanilla Robotics, which develops autonomous delivery robots, and 3D-printed cycling saddles from the new cycling brand Posedla. Their shared goal is to innovate hardware products, while the companies also view the accelerator as a path to further investment.
Robot couriers are heading to the streets of Prague
Developers Tomáš Krivda and Jan Sedláček want to compete with the logistics of delivery services and large warehouses using their autonomous robots. Their motorised transport platform, which resembles a skateboard, is already capable of delivering a shipment weighing up to 20 kilograms with the assistance of an operator. Thanks to a combination of built-in sensors and artificial intelligence, it is able to detect objects and people, thereby creating a map of its surroundings in real time. „We place great emphasis on the robot's modularity — various types of chassis can be connected to the control unit, which the customer chooses based on their needs,” Krivda explains. In addition to storage areas, it is therefore also suitable for operation in the city.
„In collaboration with PrusaLab, we have gone through many hardware iterations and, among other things, plan to finish the development of a fully independent navigation system. This would allow us to launch a robotic delivery platform on the market for a fraction of current prices within the next few years,” says Sedláček. In the first phase, the robot fleet should focus on so-called last-mile delivery, which is the transport of shipments to the end customer. After all, the final step in the logistics process tends to be the most costly for delivery services. Residents of Prague should encounter the autonomously guided couriers in the city streets as early as 2022.
The first custom-made Czech bicycle saddle
The idea of a custom bicycle saddle, in the development and subsequent production of which 3D printing and advanced composite materials play a key role, was born in the minds of „obsessed” cyclists Martin Řípa and Jiří Dužár. „The saddle is one of the three contact points between the cyclist and the bike, and how well it fits you has a fundamental impact on your health, comfort and performance. Everyone has a unique physiology, yet choosing a saddle mostly happens via a trial-and-error method, which is not ideal,” explains Řípa, adding that production will be located entirely in the Czech Republic. The company is thus reacting to the current shortage of bikes and cycling components manufactured and imported from Asia.
„During production, we will combine traditional manufacturing processes with parametric design using 3D printing. Based on individual parameters that the cyclist enters from the comfort of their home, we will achieve precise and correct riding ergonomics,” adds Dužár. Over the first three months in the incubator, Posedla went through several phases of prototyping, from initial models to test prototypes. „Thanks to the accelerator, we have managed to consolidate a team of key collaborators and suppliers, with whose help we want to finalise a fully functional product this year so that the first saddles can reach our customers at the start of the 2022 season,“ describes Dužár, outlining the company's goals. „Negotiations with another suitable investor will be key, but we also plan to finance development from the sale of other products that help look after the cycling position. In the spring, we developed a unique formula for a cycling chamois cream with a leading Czech aromatherapy company, which we will launch on the market later this year,“ Řípa concludes, outlining the plans.
PrusaLab has made cutting-edge prototyping technologies available to the winners, and further supported each project with an initial investment of 450 thousand crowns for materials and development-related services. Participants work closely with experts in digital fabrication and project management.
A total of 92 projects applied for support from the workshop. „Given the number of promising applications, the selection process was really demanding. That is also why we decided to support several other ideas through a different form of cooperation,” adds Ondřej Kašpárek, Head of PrusaLab. The workshop will further support, for example, the electromagnetic mirror project by artist Kryštof Brůha through an art grant.
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