THE IMG INTEROPERABILITY STANDARD
Enabling Intelligent Machines to Work Together.
THE PROBLEM WE'RE SOLVING
Current robotics interoperability standards have a fundamental flaw: they treat robots like "dumb terminals" that require centralized control systems to micromanage every movement.
This "command and control" approach made sense when warehouses had ten identical AGVs following fixed paths. But today's reality is different. Facilities deploy mixed fleets—AMRs, humanoids, drones, collaborative arms—from multiple vendors. These machines have sophisticated onboard intelligence, advanced sensors, and complex algorithms. Forcing them into rigid command-and-control frameworks creates three critical problems:
Loss of Intelligence
When a central system dictates every action, robots can't leverage their native capabilities. You turn a $100,000 intelligent AMR into a $10,000 AGV.
Integration Nightmares
Every deployment requires custom integration work to connect diverse systems to a central controller. Costs balloon to 40-60% of total project budgets.
Innovation Constraints
Vendors can't differentiate through superior algorithms if every robot must behave identically. The industry optimizes for the lowest common denominator.
OUR APPROACH - INTENT BASED COORDINATION
The IMG standard enables robots to be intelligent agents that coordinate through shared intent, not centralized commands.
Instead of a central system telling Robot A to "move to coordinates X,Y at velocity V," Robot A broadcasts: "I plan to cross intersection 5 at timestamp T to reach charging station 3." Other robots receive this intent, understand potential conflicts, and negotiate right-of-way based on priorities.
It's the difference between a traffic cop directing every car's movements versus drivers following rules of the road and making eye contact at intersections.
ROBOT AUTONOMY PRESERVED
Robots calculate their own paths using their native intelligence and algorithms. They broadcast intent ("I'm going here and plan to arrive at this time"), not seek permission for every action. Vendors maintain competitive differentiation through superior navigation, planning, and execution.
VENDOR-AGNOSTIC
The standard works regardless of robot manufacturer, form factor, or internal algorithms. Companies implement the communication layer without revealing proprietary code. Black-box compatible.
SEMANTIC WORLD MODEL
Share your feature information here to attract new clients. Provide a brief summary to help visitors understand the context and background.
NEGOTIATION-BASED
When conflicts arise (two robots approaching the same intersection), machines negotiate priority based on task urgency, battery level, and mission criticality. No arbitrary hierarchy or centralized traffic cop needed.
HUMAN-AWARE
Humans are explicitly included in the coordination model. Robots communicate status and intent to people through appropriate interfaces—visual signals, audio cues, gesture recognition. Mixed human-robot environments are the norm, not an edge case.
Five Core Principles
Techical Architecture
INTENT COMMUNICATION LAYER
Standardized message formats for broadcasting plans, status, and capabilities. Robots announce what they intend to do and when, enabling others to plan accordingly.
SEMANTIC MAP LAYER
Topology-based representation of environments. Instead of raw point clouds, robots share: "This is a doorway between zones A and B" or "This is a bidirectional path with priority rules." Vendors maintain their own detailed maps while coordinating on high-level topology.
COORDINATION PROTOCOL LAYER
Algorithms for conflict detection and resolution. When Robot A and Robot B both want to use the same resource (doorway, elevator, charging station), they negotiate using standardized priority signals and yield protocols.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
Not Another VDA 5050
VDA 5050 (German automotive standard) is command-and-control. A central system tells robots exactly where to go and how to get there. IMG enables robots to coordinate while maintaining autonomy.
Not Another ROS
ROS (Robot Operating System) is code you run inside a robot. IMG is the protocol between robots from different vendors. They're complementary, not competitive.
Not Proprietary
Unlike vendor-specific fleet management systems, IMG is open and free to implement. No licensing fees, no vendor lock-in, no competitive moats.
Implementation Path
Phase 01
Reference Implementation
Open-source code demonstrating IMG standard in simulated environments. Developers can experiment without hardware.
Phase 02
Pilot Testing
Early adopters test at Half Moon Bay facility with real robots from multiple vendors. We validate assumptions and refine protocols.
Phase 03
Public Beta
Broader testing with partner companies in live deployments. Bug fixes, edge case handling, documentation improvements.
Phase 04
Version 1.0 Release
Production-ready standard with comprehensive documentation. Submission to ISO for formal adoption as international standard.