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Robotics

Physical robotics integration with Tallyfy

Tallyfy bridges the gap between physical robots and workflow management. Robots can query process documentation, mark tasks complete, and enable real-time visibility into automated operations - creating seamless human-robot collaboration.

Diagram

What to notice:

  • Robots communicate through standard industrial protocols (OPC UA, ROS, MQTT)
  • Tallyfy provides queryable documentation that robots can follow
  • Task completion happens automatically as robots perform work

How robots interact with Tallyfy

Industrial robots and collaborative robots (cobots) connect to Tallyfy through middleware that translates between industrial protocols and REST APIs. Here’s the typical flow:

  1. Robot queries documentation - Before starting work, the robot requests its current task instructions from Tallyfy using GET /api/v1/tasks/{id}
  2. Process execution - The robot performs physical operations following the retrieved instructions
  3. Status reporting - As work progresses, the robot sends updates: PATCH /api/v1/tasks/{id}/complete
  4. Exception handling - If issues arise, robots can pause tasks or request human intervention

The magic happens through protocol translation. Your robot speaks OPC UA or ROS, while Tallyfy speaks REST. A lightweight middleware service (often running on an edge server near the robot) handles this translation.

Supported robot communication protocols

OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture)

Most industrial robots from ABB, KUKA, FANUC, and Siemens support OPC UA. This protocol provides secure, reliable communication with built-in data modeling. Connect through standard OPC UA clients that translate robot states to Tallyfy API calls.

ROS/ROS2 (Robot Operating System)

Open-source robotics middleware used by research institutions and modern collaborative robots. ROS nodes can directly call Tallyfy’s REST API using standard HTTP libraries. The ROS2 DDS layer ensures reliable message delivery even in unstable network conditions.

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)

Lightweight protocol perfect for IoT-enabled robots and cobots. MQTT brokers can forward robot telemetry to Tallyfy webhooks, enabling event-driven task updates. Popular with Universal Robots and smaller collaborative systems.

Custom protocols via edge computing

Legacy robots using proprietary protocols connect through edge computing devices (like industrial PCs or gateways) that translate between the robot’s native language and Tallyfy’s API.

Implementation architecture

Basic integration setup

{
"robot_id": "UR10e_Cell_4",
"tallyfy_config": {
"api_endpoint": "https://api.tallyfy.com/v1",
"auth_token": "Bearer {token}",
"process_id": "warehouse_picking_abc123",
"webhook_url": "https://factory.example.com/robot-events"
},
"protocol_config": {
"type": "opcua",
"server": "opc.tcp://192.168.1.10:4840",
"update_interval_ms": 1000
}
}

Task documentation structure for robots

Tallyfy stores structured instructions that robots can parse and execute. Each task includes:

  • Operation parameters - Speed, force, positions, tolerances
  • Safety boundaries - Keep-out zones, speed limits near humans
  • Quality checks - Measurement points, acceptance criteria
  • Error recovery - What to do when things go wrong
  • Handoff points - When to involve human operators

Real-time progress tracking

As robots work, they continuously update task status:

  1. Task started - Robot begins operation, marks task “in_progress”
  2. Milestone updates - Reports completion percentages (25%, 50%, 75%)
  3. Quality data - Sends measurement results, vision inspection outcomes
  4. Task completion - Marks done with final quality metrics
  5. Exception reporting - Flags issues requiring human intervention

This creates complete visibility into robotic operations. Plant managers see exactly which robots are working on what, current progress, and any bottlenecks - all through Tallyfy’s dashboard.

Human-robot collaboration workflows

Modern manufacturing increasingly relies on humans and robots working together. Tallyfy orchestrates these collaborative workflows by managing handoffs and ensuring safety compliance.

Typical collaborative scenarios

Assembly operations: Robot performs heavy lifting and precise positioning while human handles delicate components. Tallyfy tracks which tasks are robot-assigned versus human-assigned, ensuring smooth transitions.

Quality inspection: Robot performs initial measurements, flags anomalies for human review. Human inspectors receive notifications in Tallyfy when their expertise is needed.

Maintenance workflows: Robots run diagnostic routines and report issues. Maintenance technicians get assigned tasks with detailed robot-generated diagnostic data.

Safety compliance and ISO standards

Integration follows ISO 10218-1:2025 requirements for collaborative applications. Tallyfy maintains audit trails showing:

  • Who (human or robot) performed each task
  • Safety validations completed before robot operations
  • Speed and force limiting compliance during collaboration
  • Emergency stop events and recovery procedures
  • Cybersecurity measures protecting robot control systems

Setting up robot integration

Prerequisites

  • Tallyfy organization with API access enabled
  • Robot controller with network connectivity
  • Edge server or industrial PC for protocol translation
  • IT/OT network bridge configured for secure communication

Step-by-step implementation

  1. Generate API credentials in Tallyfy organization settings
  2. Install middleware on edge server (options include Node-RED, Kepware, or custom service)
  3. Configure robot communication - Set up OPC UA server or ROS nodes on robot controller
  4. Map robot operations to tasks - Define which robot programs correspond to Tallyfy tasks
  5. Test in simulation - Verify API calls work correctly before live deployment
  6. Deploy with safety validation - Ensure all safety systems active during integration testing
  7. Monitor and optimize - Use Tallyfy analytics to identify bottlenecks and optimize cycle times

Advanced automation patterns

Event-driven robot triggering

// Webhook receiver for robot activation
app.post('/webhook/tallyfy', async (req, res) => {
const { task_id, action, metadata } = req.body;
if (action === 'task_ready' && metadata.robot_capable) {
// Trigger robot program
await robotController.startProgram({
program: metadata.robot_program,
parameters: metadata.operation_params,
task_id: task_id
});
}
res.status(200).send('Robot triggered');
});

Multi-robot coordination

When multiple robots work on the same process, Tallyfy manages dependencies and prevents conflicts. Robot A completes welding, triggering Robot B to start painting - all coordinated through task dependencies in Tallyfy.

Predictive maintenance integration

Robots report operational metrics (cycle counts, motor temperatures, vibration levels) as task metadata. Tallyfy’s automation rules trigger maintenance tasks when thresholds are exceeded, preventing unexpected downtime.

Industry applications

Manufacturing and assembly

  • Automotive production lines with mixed human-robot stations
  • Electronics assembly with collaborative pick-and-place operations
  • Furniture manufacturing with CNC machines and robot finishing

Warehouse and logistics

  • Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for inventory movement
  • Robotic picking systems with human packing stations
  • Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) coordinated with loading crews

Food and pharmaceutical

  • Robotic packaging lines with human quality control
  • Cleanroom operations with minimal human presence
  • Batch processing with automated sampling and testing

Healthcare and laboratory

  • Surgical robots with procedure documentation
  • Laboratory automation with sample tracking
  • Pharmacy robots dispensing medications

Benefits of robot-Tallyfy integration

Complete process visibility - See exactly what robots and humans are doing in real-time. No more walking the floor to check robot status.

Automatic documentation - Every robot action is logged with timestamps, creating comprehensive audit trails for compliance and continuous improvement.

Flexible work allocation - Dynamically assign tasks to robots or humans based on availability, capabilities, and current workload.

Rapid exception handling - When robots encounter issues, the right human expert gets notified immediately with all diagnostic data.

Performance analytics - Compare cycle times between robots, identify bottlenecks, and optimize workflows using actual production data.

Seamless scaling - Add new robots or production cells without disrupting existing workflows. Just configure the new robot to query Tallyfy for its tasks.

Security considerations

Network segregation

Keep robot control networks (OT) separated from business networks (IT) using DMZ architecture. Tallyfy API calls happen through secured gateways, never direct robot-to-internet connections.

Authentication and authorization

Use separate API credentials for each robot or production cell. Implement role-based access control limiting robots to specific processes and tasks. Rotate tokens regularly and monitor for unusual activity patterns.

Data encryption

All communication between robots and Tallyfy uses TLS encryption. Store sensitive operation parameters and quality data using field-level encryption in Tallyfy.

Fail-safe mechanisms

Robots must maintain local operation capability if Tallyfy connection is lost. Implement store-and-forward patterns to sync data once connectivity restores. Never make safety systems dependent on cloud connectivity.

Getting started

Ready to connect your robots to Tallyfy? Start with a pilot project:

  1. Choose a simple process - Pick one robot performing repetitive tasks
  2. Document the workflow - Create the process template in Tallyfy
  3. Implement basic integration - Start with just task completion reporting
  4. Validate and expand - Once proven, add more robots and complex workflows

Contact Tallyfy support for robotics integration guidance and example middleware configurations for your specific robot models.

Vendor-specific integration roadmap (Planned)

After extensive research and strategic planning, here’s our roadmap for integrating with major robotics vendors across B2B industrial and consumer sectors. These integrations are currently in planning phase, with implementation prioritized based on customer demand and technical feasibility.

Industrial robot integrations (B2B)

FANUC Corporation

Market position: 11% global market share, over 750,000 robots installed worldwide Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: FANUC’s FIELD (FANUC Intelligent Edge Link and Drive) platform
  • Secondary: Direct OPC UA server integration via FANUC Robot Interface
  • Tallyfy connector: Native FIELD app publishing to FANUC app marketplace
  • Key features: CNC synchronization, multi-robot cell coordination, predictive maintenance triggers
  • Timeline: Q2 2026 for pilot customers

ABB Robotics

Market position: $402B market cap, 500,000+ robots deployed globally Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: ABB Ability platform with OPC UA Robotics Companion
  • Secondary: RobotStudio SDK for simulation-based testing
  • Tallyfy connector: ABB Ability marketplace application
  • Key features: RobotWare integration, SafeMove2 safety validation, OmniCore controller support
  • Special capability: Direct integration with ABB’s IoT Gateway for MQTT/OPC UA bridging
  • Timeline: Q1 2026 for early access

KUKA AG

Market position: Leader in automotive robotics, 500kg payload capacity Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: KUKA.Connect cloud platform via REST APIs
  • Secondary: KRL (KUKA Robot Language) extensions for direct control
  • Tallyfy connector: iiQoT (KUKA’s IIoT platform) module
  • Key features: KUKA.Sim integration for offline programming, smartPAD teach pendant notifications
  • Timeline: Q3 2026 for select industries

Universal Robots (Teradyne)

Market position: Collaborative robot leader, 75,000+ cobots deployed Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: UR+ platform with URCap plugin architecture
  • Secondary: Real-time data exchange via RTDE (Real-Time Data Exchange)
  • Tallyfy connector: Published URCap in UR+ ecosystem
  • Key features: Polyscope UI integration, force/torque feedback logging, safety plane configuration
  • Special focus: No-code integration for SMB manufacturers
  • Timeline: Q4 2025 pilot program

Yaskawa Motoman

Market position: 8% market share, leader in arc welding applications Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: MLX300 controller with Ethernet/IP
  • Secondary: MotoPlus SDK for custom applications
  • Tallyfy connector: i3-Mechatronics digital solution integration
  • Key features: Smart Pendant app, multi-robot synchronization, vision system coordination
  • Timeline: Q2 2026 for pilot customers

Emerging industrial platforms

Unitree Robotics (China)

Market position: Fastest growing quadruped manufacturer, G1 humanoid at $16k Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: unitree_sdk2 with Python bindings
  • Secondary: ROS2 integration via unitree_ros2
  • Tallyfy connector: Direct SDK integration with CycloneDDS messaging
  • Key features: Go2/B2/H1 robot support, NVIDIA Jetson Orin AI workloads
  • Special capability: Educational institution partnerships for research workflows
  • Timeline: Q1 2026 beta program

Boston Dynamics

Market position: 1,500+ Spot robots deployed, premium industrial segment Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Spot SDK with gRPC-based API
  • Secondary: Network Compute Bridge for ML model integration
  • Tallyfy connector: Spot API client library extension
  • Key features: Manipulation API for arm control, autowalk mission integration, payload coordination
  • Special focus: Inspection and surveillance workflow templates
  • Timeline: Q3 2026 for enterprise customers

Agility Robotics

Market position: Digit humanoid for logistics, Amazon partnership Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Agility Cloud API (under development)
  • Secondary: ROS2-based control interface
  • Tallyfy connector: Warehouse management system bridge
  • Key features: Package handling workflows, dynamic path planning, human collaboration zones
  • Timeline: Q4 2026 aligned with commercial deployment

Consumer robot integrations

iRobot (Amazon)

Market position: 50 million Roomba units sold, market leader in home robotics Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: iRobot Home app API (limited access)
  • Secondary: Matter/Thread smart home integration
  • Tallyfy connector: Smart home hub integration via AWS IoT Core
  • Key features: Cleaning schedule coordination, room-specific task assignment, maintenance reminders
  • Consumer benefit: Integrate cleaning into home routines and checklists
  • Timeline: Q2 2026 pending API access approval

Tesla Optimus

Market position: Planned sub-$20k humanoid, leveraging FSD technology Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Tesla API (anticipated, based on vehicle API patterns)
  • Secondary: Local network control via Tesla app framework
  • Tallyfy connector: Tesla Fleet API integration (when available)
  • Key features: Task learning from demonstrations, natural language instructions, safety zones
  • Special capability: Integration with Tesla Energy for optimized charging schedules
  • Timeline: 2027+ aligned with consumer availability

Amazon Astro

Market position: $1,449 home monitoring robot, Ring ecosystem integration Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Alexa Skills Kit with Astro-specific APIs
  • Secondary: AWS IoT Events for automation triggers
  • Tallyfy connector: Published Alexa skill with Astro capabilities
  • Key features: Patrol route workflows, visitor check-in processes, medication reminders
  • Timeline: Q3 2025 pilot with select customers

Anki Vector (Digital Dream Labs)

Market position: Consumer companion robot, community-driven development Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Vector SDK (Python) with cloud API
  • Secondary: Local REST API via Vector Explorer
  • Tallyfy connector: Community-maintained integration
  • Key features: Reminder notifications, simple task confirmations, presence detection
  • Timeline: Q4 2025 as open-source project

Educational and research platforms

DJI RoboMaster

Market position: Leading educational robotics platform in Asia Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: RoboMaster SDK with competition framework
  • Secondary: DJI Assistant 2 for programming
  • Tallyfy connector: Educational workflow templates
  • Key features: Competition task management, team collaboration, skill assessment tracking
  • Timeline: Q1 2026 for educational institutions

Figure AI

Market position: Figure 02 humanoid, BMW manufacturing partnership Integration approach:

  • Primary protocol: Proprietary API (under development)
  • Secondary: Industrial Ethernet protocols
  • Tallyfy connector: Manufacturing execution system (MES) bridge
  • Key features: Assembly line integration, quality inspection workflows, training mode capture
  • Timeline: 2027+ aligned with production deployment

Integration architecture patterns

Each vendor integration follows a three-layer approach:

  1. Protocol layer - Native robot communication (OPC UA, ROS, proprietary SDKs)
  2. Translation layer - Tallyfy middleware converting robot data to workflow events
  3. Orchestration layer - Tallyfy managing tasks, dependencies, and human handoffs

Development priorities

Our integration roadmap prioritizes based on:

  • Customer demand - Direct requests from enterprise customers
  • Technical readiness - Vendor API maturity and documentation quality
  • Market impact - Number of deployed robots and growth trajectory
  • Safety compliance - ISO standard adherence and certification requirements
  • ROI potential - Clear value proposition for workflow automation

Partnership opportunities

We’re actively seeking partnerships with:

  • System integrators specializing in robotics deployment
  • Robot manufacturers interested in workflow orchestration
  • Industrial IoT platforms for protocol translation
  • Educational institutions for research collaborations
  • Safety certification bodies for compliance validation

This roadmap represents our current planning based on market research and customer feedback. Actual implementation timelines may vary based on vendor cooperation, technical challenges, and market conditions.

Open Api > Combining RPA systems and human operators

Tallyfy serves as an orchestration layer that seamlessly connects RPA systems with human workflows to create comprehensive end-to-end process automation while maintaining complete visibility and accountability across both automated and manual tasks.

Pro > Integrations

Tallyfy connects with existing business software through multiple methods including email integrations API implementations webhooks middleware platforms AI agents native integrations analytics connections chat platform tools and Azure translation services allowing teams to choose the approach that best fits their technical capabilities and integration needs.

Middleware > n8n

N8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that connects Tallyfy with hundreds of business applications through visual workflows offering both cloud-hosted and self-hosted options with flexible HTTP Request and Webhook nodes for seamless integration without vendor lock-in.

Middleware > Workato

Tallyfy is developing a native Workato connector that will enable enterprise-scale workflow automation by connecting business systems through bidirectional data flows process triggers and task orchestration while developers can currently build custom integrations using Workato’s Connector SDK and Tallyfy’s REST API.