SAN FRANCISCO AND PASADENA, CA – 28/10/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – As robotics rapidly transition from research labs into real-world operations, one challenge has become increasingly clear: autonomy is only as strong as its safety layer. This week, two of the most influential organizations in the robotics ecosystem—Open Navigation LLC, the force behind the open-source Nav2 navigation platform, and 3Laws, the pioneer in dynamic safety guardrail technology—announced a strategic partnership designed to reshape how robots move, perceive, and react in complex environments.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for the global robotics community. By combining Nav2’s robust, production-grade navigation capabilities with 3Laws’ universal safety layer, developers now have access to a seamless ecosystem that balances innovation with dependability. This integration is further strengthened by the introduction of 3Laws Supervisor ROS, a freely available community tier designed to accelerate the safe development of autonomous systems.
For the more than 300 companies already using Nav2 to power mobile robots across logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and research, the partnership represents a major leap forward. Nav2 enables advanced path planning, obstacle avoidance, and behavior tree-based control for robots navigating complex and unpredictable spaces. Now, with 3Laws’ adaptive safety technology, these systems gain the ability to dynamically respond to unexpected obstacles in real time, preventing collisions and optimizing motion performance without halting operations through e-stop triggers.
“Open Navigation has always been about building the missing pieces that make robotics scalable and commercially viable,” said Steve Macenski, CEO of Open Navigation. “Our collaboration with 3Laws enables developers to embed real-time safety guardrails directly into their autonomy stacks, giving them the confidence to deploy at scale while meeting industrial safety expectations.”
The partnership brings particular value to the Robot Operating System (ROS) community, where accessibility and standardization drive innovation. The new 3Laws Supervisor ROS package can be easily integrated into existing autonomy frameworks—no advanced setup required—allowing developers to focus on algorithmic creativity rather than safety constraints. The community version shares many core features with 3Laws’ flagship Supervisor PRO, which offers extended support for robotic arms, mobile manipulators, and multi-sensor fusion environments.
Andrew Singletary, CEO of 3Laws, emphasized that this alliance aims to accelerate trust in autonomous robotics: “Nav2 has become the backbone of open-source mobile robot navigation worldwide. By natively integrating 3Laws’ safety layer, we’re empowering more teams to deploy robots capable of adapting intelligently to their surroundings while maintaining rigorous safety standards.”
The two companies will showcase the results of their partnership at ROSCon 2025, taking place in Singapore. Steve Macenski is scheduled to present a session titled “On Use of Nav2 Route Server” on Tuesday, October 28, at 11:10 a.m. SST, offering insights into the latest advancements in open navigation and how they complement the 3Laws safety layer. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore live demonstrations and discuss how the unified framework is shaping the next generation of reliable, autonomous systems.
At its core, this collaboration underscores a growing industry consensus: as robotics expands into every sector—from delivery to defense—safety is not an add-on but a foundation. The Open Navigation–3Laws partnership is a pivotal step toward that vision, enabling developers, researchers, and manufacturers to move faster, safer, and smarter.
Learn more about the session at https://roscon.ros.org/2025/.
About Open Navigation, LLC
Open Navigation LLC accelerates robotics commercialization and applied research by democratizing access to professional-grade mobile robotics technologies. The organization fosters community-driven collaboration across industry and academia, empowering developers with tools, services, and resources built on the ROS 2 and Nav2 ecosystems. Today, Nav2 stands as the leading open-source navigation framework, trusted by hundreds of organizations worldwide to power autonomous mobility in real-world environments.
About 3Laws
Founded by Caltech robotics researchers, 3Laws provides a universal safety layer for both autonomous and human-operated systems through Control Barrier Functions (CBFs)—a mathematically proven method for maintaining systems within safe operating limits without compromising efficiency. As the exclusive licensee of foundational CBF technology, 3Laws translates academic innovation into practical safety infrastructure used across aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, the company is driving the creation of a global safety backbone for intelligent machines.
source https://newsroom.seaprwire.com/technologies/open-navigation-and-3laws-form-alliance-to-redefine-safety-and-performance-in-robotics-development/