PickNik develops software for robot motion planning, manipulation and control. The company is a long-time steward of MoveIt, an open-source framework built around ROS that is used to plan and execute manipulation tasks across robotic arms and other systems.
Qualcomm said MoveIt will remain open source following the transaction. The framework is expected to gain streamlined integration with the company’s Dragonwing robotics platforms, creating a path from AI models including vision-language-action models and vision-language models into motion planning, manipulation and real-time control.
PickNik founder and Chief Product Officer Dave Coleman said joining Qualcomm would allow the company to increase investment in MoveIt as an AI training platform for robotics while retaining its open development model, community collaboration and cross-platform support.
The acquisition adds another software layer to Qualcomm’s robotics strategy. The company already operates Dragonwing platforms for industrial and edge systems and has been expanding its developer software portfolio through acquisitions. PickNik gives Qualcomm direct ownership of software sitting between higher-level AI models and the physical execution of robot movements.
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions. Qualcomm has not disclosed a purchase price or expected closing date.
