ManMed Dynamics x Kikobot: MoU to accelerate accessible robotics for healthcare
ManMed Dynamics is excited to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kikobot to bring simple, smart, and affordable robotics into medical education, research labs, and non-clinical hospital workflows.
This collaboration unites ManMed’s clinical AI and human-robot interaction work with Kikobot’s cost-effective robotic platforms to build hands-on training rigs, ROS-ready research kits, and small-task automation that teams can deploy quickly and iterate on safely.
Why Kikobot?
Kikobot builds compact, budget-friendly robots designed for education, research, and industrial automation, with an emphasis on easy setup and modern tooling. Their lineup includes:
- Kikobot C1 — a 6-DOF collaborative robotic arm aimed at AI/ML, ROS and robotics learning, ideal for labs and classrooms.
- Kikobot D1 (ESP32) — a desktop delta robot kit for motion control, kinematics and automation fundamentals.
Kikobot’s focus aligns perfectly with our goal to democratize robotics and lower the total cost of ownership for teams that want to learn, prototype and deploy faster.
What we’ll build together
1) Surgical-skills training rigs (non-clinical)
Co-develop low-cost simulation and training setups using the Kikobot C1 arm, vision modules and ROS—covering tasks like instrument pick-and-place, suture practice fixtures, and end-effector control under constraints. The emphasis is on repeatable skills labs that are easy to maintain and extend.
2) Micro-automation pilots in hospitals (outside the sterile field)
Prototype safe, small-scope automations—for example: labeled-bin sorting, consumable kitting, pharmacy shelf re-stocking, or lab sample staging—where a compact robot plus vision can shorten cycle times and free humans for higher-value work. All pilots will follow site safety policies and operate outside patient-facing clinical procedures.
3) Education & open resources
Publish open ROS examples, quick-start templates and curriculum modules for workshops, hackathons and internships. We’ll run hands-on sessions for faculty, residents, and students so teams can go from “unboxed” to “first motion” in under an hour.
4) Reliability, service & scale
Work on local spares, warranty and service pathways so teams can keep rigs running without long downtime. As use cases stabilize, we’ll share reference BOMs and upgrade paths (end-effectors, vision, safety, and enclosures).
Initial roadmap
- Phase 1 – Integration (0–3 months):
Joint reference kits (C1 + vision + ROS + ManMed examples), lab validation, safety checklists. - Phase 2 – Pilots (3–6 months):
Two to three micro-automation pilots in non-clinical areas; skill-lab rollouts at partner institutes. - Phase 3 – Scale (6–12 months):
Hardened kits, faculty training program, and a resource hub with tutorials, CAD, and sample datasets.
“Affordable hardware that’s easy to program is the missing link between curiosity and capability. This partnership lets teams learn fast, prototype safely, and apply robotics where it delivers real value.” — ManMed Dynamics
“Our mission is simple: make quality robots accessible to everyone. Teaming up with ManMed brings that mission to healthcare education and lab automation.” — Kikobot
Get involved
- Educators & labs: interested in early access kits or workshops?
Contact: info@manmed.in - Hospitals & partners: want to explore micro-automation pilots?
Contact: collaborations@manmed.in
About Kikobot
Kikobot designs simple, smart and affordable robots for education, research and industrial automation, including compact desktop arms and delta robots that support modern robotics stacks used in AI/ML and ROS learning. Learn more at kikobot.com.