Inside Viam's NYC robotics lab

Welcome to our robotics lab, the testing ground for everything we build at Viam.

This is where Viam engineers use the platform themselves, experiencing firsthand what it’s like to build, deploy, and manage robotic systems. It's where ideas move from concept to working prototype—and it's where customer solutions get developed, tested, and refined before deployment.

The lab is an active workspace where the Viam platform gets pushed, tested, fixed, and improved.

Here's what you'll find inside.

Stop 1: Robotic arms

The lab houses a collection of industrial-grade robotic arms from major manufacturers: a Yaskawa GP12, Universal Robots UR20, UR5, and UR7 arms, and UFactory xArms.

Having multiple arms from different manufacturers enables compatibility testing to understand how the Viam platform works across different customer hardware.

Engineers can integrate with any major arm manufacturer and verify solution performance acrosdifferent hardware setups. These arms are available for any engineer to use, whether for customer solutions or personal projects.

Yaskawa arm on the floor in Viam's lab. — *Industrial-grade Yaskawa GP12 in the Viam robotics lab.*

A UR arm in Viam's lab. — Universal Robots arm available for team to use.

Two UFactory xArms in Viam's lab — *UFactory xArms available for Viam team members to use.*

A UR20 arm in Viam's lab. — *Universal Robots UR20 arm iterating on Viam’s sanding solution.*

The UR20 currently runs our sanding demo, which showcases how Viam enables robots to adjust in real time to complex surfaces, critical for industries like marine manufacturing where no two builds are identical.

Stop 2: The fabrication corner

The fabrication corner includes two Prusa XL 3D printers equipped with five extruders for multi-material prints and extended continuous printing, and two Markforged printers that use carbon fiber composite material for high-wear applications requiring extreme rigidity and strength.

Shelves of 3D printers in the Viam lab. — *Prusa XL 3D printers and Markforged printers available for Viam teams to build components and prototypes with.*

Engineers can design, print, and test custom parts without leaving the building. Need a custom mount for a sensor? A fixture for testing? Print it. This setup turns iteration from a weeks-long process into a matter of hours.

One standout project from this corner: Senior Engineer Michael Lee's moving V's installation. What started as an experiment in the lab is now on permanent display in the Viam office year-round.

It's a testament to the space and support team members have to bring ambitious ideas to life, whether that is personal projects on the Viam platform, or builds with direct commercial application.

Stop 3: The collaboration zones

Open workbenches provide space for engineers to collaborate across teams. You'll find everything needed to build prototypes quickly: tools, components, whiteboard space for planning, and room to spread out and work.

A tool wall in the Viam lab. — Tool wall available for the Viam team's use.

The engineering-first culture at Viam means engineers have the freedom to use their time on personal projects, experiment with new approaches, and collaborate without barriers.

Viam team members collaborating on a project together

Stop 4: Wine pouring demo

One example of a project that started in our lab is our wine pouring demo, which showcases real-time computer vision, adaptive motion planning, and dynamic decision-making. The system detects glass placement anywhere on the table, generates a motion plan for the arm to pour precisely, and even determines when a bottle needs replacement, all without reprogramming.

Ready to build with us?

Viam engineers collaborating on a customer solution.

When you join Viam, this is your workspace. You have access to industrial-grade robotic arms, high-performance 3D printers, and the tools to build and test solutions quickly. You work in an environment built for experimentation, with the freedom to explore your own projects and the support of a collaborative team.