iiwa

iiwa is a line of collaborative robotic arms produced by the German company KUKA. The most widely known variant is the LBR iiwa (Lightweight Robot Intelligent Industrial Work Assistant). Introduced in 2013, the iiwa family was designed for flexible, safe human-robot collaboration in manufacturing and laboratory environments.

The arm typically features seven joints (seven degrees of freedom) and includes torque sensors in each joint, providing high-fidelity torque feedback and compliant control. This sensor suite enables delicate manipulation, collision detection, and safety-conscious operation. In keeping with collaborative robotics principles, iiwa products are designed for safe human interaction and support features such as power and force limiting and hand-guiding, allowing a human to guide the robot by touch.

Safety standards for collaborative robots, including ISO 10218 and ISO/TS 15066, apply to iiwa implementations, though actual certification depends on configuration and application.

iiwa is used across industries for tasks such as assembly, pick-and-place, machine tending, testing, and research. The various models offer different reach and payload options; they are designed to be integrated with conventional industrial automation systems and can be paired with research frameworks and middleware, including ROS via third-party interfaces.

KUKA continues to develop iiwa arms for applications ranging from automotive manufacturing to lab automation, emphasizing ease of programming, safety, and human-robot collaboration. The name iiwa stands for intelligent industrial work assistant.