Hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) is gaining momentum across a variety of industries. Many of the early adopters of HaaS are in robotics, offering robots-as-a-service (RaaS) to decrease barriers to entry and improve overall value to customers. Others offer machine-as-a-service (MaaS), device-as-a-service (DaaS), or equipment-as-a-service (EaaS).
Some companies pitch outcomes more than assets, offering data-as-a-service or platform-as-a-service models. From network-as-a-service to facades cleaning; managed service providers (MSPs) to managed security service providers (MSSPs); and autonomous construction equipment to diagnostic sensors and 3D printers, these companies are on the cutting-edge of their fields.
This post is part of a series about modern hardware companies, their business models, and the future of HaaS. For more, see posts from early and late August, early and late September, and early and late October.
Agility Robotics’ flagship robot, Digit, is a humanoid robot built to augment the workforce in manufacturing and warehousing environments. Powered by advanced AI, The 5’9” mobile manipulation robot (MMR) can navigate complex workflows, interact with a variety of objects, and perform tasks with precision. The workflows Digit automates include loading and unloading put walls, sorting, tote recycling, moving items between AMRs and other machines (such as conveyors), and more. Digit’s work is orchestrated through Agility Arc, the company’s proprietary cloud platform for fleet monitoring and management.
Agility’s business model supports two pricing options: Customers can buy Digit (or a fleet of Digits) outright as a conventional equipment purchase. But they can also acquire Digit through a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model. Under this model—in which Digit becomes a recurring operating expense—Agility’s all-inclusive package includes the robots, their accompanying software, accessories (e.g., control pendants, work cell equipment, end effectors, and charging stations), and additional services such as support and maintenance.
“The RaaS model allows for maximum flexibility while minimizing the time it takes to deploy a fleet,” says Pete Allen, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Agility. “Deploying Digit requires minimal infrastructure changes in part because its humanoid form means it navigates spaces in the same way human workers already do. That’s why it serves this business model particularly well—allowing us to support additional robots for peak demand, for example, so customers can rapidly scale up and down.”
Robotic Maintenance Vehicles (RMV) builds a robotic sealcoat vehicle that intelligently finds and seals cracks in roads and parking lots. The Robotic Crack Sealer is a Class 7 truck chassis equipped with AI vision that utilizes high-resolution cameras and lasers to guide its robotic arm. The system finds and measures pavement cracks, then precisely dispenses sealant by communicating crack size with the sealant wand. The truck intelligently bypasses maintenance hole covers and storm drains, and includes a powerful blowoff system to remove debris before sealing. RMV’s solution can operate all night. Rather than a conventional crew of four, the truck requires only one driver, who can stay in the truck’s cab and out of harm’s way on roads and highways.
Under its robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model, RMV charges per linear foot of crack sealed. A subscription includes the truck, first-year training and calibration, 24/7 tech support, remote monitoring and data collection (distance traveled, linear feet sealed, pounds of material dispensed, sealing duration, GPS location), monthly data reports, and a monthly software license with regular software updates. With access to RMV’s software as well as its hardware, customers can analyze performance metrics, identify trends, and continuously improve their maintenance strategies.
Todd Hendricks, owner of RMV, says: “For the as-a-service model to be most effective, it’s critical that the truck’s software collects data as it operates. Instead of paying a million dollars for a truck, customers now have access for a small deposit—roughly the cost of a brand-new manual crack sealing unit. We just take a fee per linear foot of crack sealed. So for the cost of a manual unit, you get a million-dollar automated truck. And on our end, we simply pull the data and invoice the lease.”
ICON is a construction technology company that develops robotic and software systems to lower the costs of housing construction while increasing its speed and quality. The company’s robotics offerings include Phoenix, a 27-foot-tall multi-story 3D printer that can print an entire building enclosure including foundations and roof structures; and Vulcan, designed for volume 3D printing of single-story homes of up to 3,000 square feet. ICON’s turnkey solution includes a robotic printer, the software suite (BuildOS) that drives the hardware, ICON’s proprietary cement-based building material (CarbonX), and a smart portable factory (Magma) that mixes the printing formula based on site conditions (e.g., weather). Other offerings include CODEX, a digital catalog of ready-to-print home architecture; and Vitruvius, an AI architect for home design and construction.
ICON doesn’t sell its 3D printers to developers or construction companies outright. Rather, it operates on a task-based or pay-per-use pricing model. Projects using Phoenix start at $25/square foot for wall systems and $80/square foot for foundation and roof printing. Customers get access to the printers and mixer, the appropriate blend of CarbonX for the project, and support and maintenance for the duration of the build.
GreenSight builds autonomous drones that provide aerial intelligence for the agriculture and defense sectors. The drones are outfitted with custom sensors, a proprietary camera system that includes thermal imaging, and machine-learning based image processing capabilities. As they fly, the drones map an area, processing data on pest stress and plant disease, soil moisture and salinity, nutrient deficiency, and more. Golf courses, sports turf facilities, and farmers leverage GreenSight to identify underperforming crops, make better decisions about moisture management and nutrition inputs, reduce irrigation usage and agrochemical applications, optimize planting time, and minimize labor costs.
The company’s end-to-end solution is offered through a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model: Customers get access to the drones alongside GreenSight’s proprietary software, TurfCloud, which lets them assign tasks and schedule staff based on the actionable intelligence the drones collect. GreenSight remotely manages the drones so customers don’t have to learn to use them. Contracts are seasonal, based on the crop.
Hai Robotics builds automated case-handing mobile robots (ACRs), intelligent robots that navigate narrow aisles in warehouses and factories, pick containers off shelves, and deliver them to workers at human-operated workstations called HaiStations. The company’s fleet includes the HaiPick A42, which can pick up to 9 cases simultaneously; the HaiPick A42T with a telescopic lift that can pick and store totes and boxes on 33-foot high shelves; and the HaiPick A42-E6, a grappling-hook ACR that can identify and handle individual totes stored on triple-deep racks. Hai’s ACRs are equipped with features such as 360-degree obstacle avoidance, autonomous navigation, and automatic charging capabilities.
Alongside its capex options, Hai also offers a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing model, currently only available to customers in Singapore. For a monthly subscription fee, customers have access to Hai’s robots and the proprietary software that supports them. (Hai has developed its own warehouse execution system (WES) and equipment scheduling system (ESS), along with a data platform, algorithm platform, and simulation platform.) The total solution also includes operation, 24/7 service, maintenance, replacements, and management services.