Open Lab Fridays at Viam

Come build with real robots at Viam’s NYC lab.

Open Lab Fridays give engineers dedicated time to work with real robotic hardware, experiment with Viam, and develop their own projects.

We’re opening the lab for three Fridays in October, with limited spots available each session. Registration is required, and attendees must be approved in advance.

Each attendee will have access to their own dedicated workstation with a robotic arm and the hardware needed to build and experiment. Whether you’re new to robotics, want more hands-on time with an arm, or have a project from a Viam hackathon you want to keep developing, this is a chance to spend focused time working with physical hardware.

The Viam team will be around for light engineering support. You can also use Viam’s free education courses and AI Assistant to learn, troubleshoot, and build at your own pace.

What you’ll have access to

Your workstation will include:

• UFactory xArm or Universal Robots arm with a two-finger gripper

• Linux compute machine

• RealSense D435 or Orbbec Astra 2 camera, fixed to the arm

• Webcams

You’ll also have access to Viam’s robotics platform, documentation, free education courses, and AI Assistant.

Have an SO-101? Bring it along and build with your own arm, too.

Who is this for?

• Technical founders & entrepreneurs: Explore a robotics idea, prototype a concept, or get hands-on with a real arm.

• Software & robotics engineers: Get dedicated time with robotic hardware to experiment, develop, and learn.

• Viam hackers: Bring a project from a past hackathon and keep building.

No robotics expertise required. Come with an idea, a project, or just curiosity.

A few things to know:

• This is an open lab, not a structured workshop. You’ll be responsible for your own project, with Viam engineers available for light support.

• Please respect the lab, equipment, and other builders. Treat the hardware with care, clean up after yourself, and leave the space ready for the next person.

• Spots are limited, so please register in advance.

Come build. Get a robot moving. Build something real.