Crickets Continuum to introduce Data Collection Agent for Robots (DCA/r) leveraging open twAIn Robotics billing metrics APIs to enable interoperability among dealers, ISVs, and manufacturers

Highlands, New Jersey – February 8, 2026 — Crickets Continuum today announced its intent to develop a Data Collection Agent for Robots (DCA/r), a standardized software agent designed to collect, normalize, and securely transmit robot and autonomous mobile robot (AMR) usage data across heterogeneous platforms. Modeled after widely adopted Data Collection Agents (DCAs) in the managed print and MFP markets, DCA/r is designed to bring similar levels of visibility, predictability, and interoperability to the rapidly expanding robotics and automation ecosystem.

The DCA/r initiative will be built to align with and leverage the newly introduced twAIn Robotics open source billing metrics APIs, enabling consistent measurement of real-world robot usage metrics such as Cost-Per-Task, Cost-Per-Traveled-Time, Cost-Per-Linear-Feet, and Cost for Power Consumed. These standardized metrics allow usage data to be consolidated into normalized Robot Work Units (RWUs), creating a common language for billing, reporting, and performance analysis.

By adopting open, vendor-neutral APIs, Crickets Continuum aims to eliminate proprietary data silos and reduce friction between robotics manufacturers, independent software vendors (ISVs), systems integrators, and dealers.

“For decades, DCAs transformed how the MFP and managed services markets operate by creating a trusted, standardized way to collect usage data,” said Art Post, Co-Founder of Crickets Continuum. “With DCA/r, we are bringing that same proven model to robotics. Our goal is to give the industry a neutral, interoperable foundation that simplifies integration, improves transparency, and accelerates scalable business models for robots and automation.”

The use of twAIn Robotics open source billing metrics APIs ensures that no single vendor controls how usage is measured or monetized, enabling flexible pricing models tailored to different robot functions and customer use cases.

“Crickets Continuum is focused on delivering immediate, practical value while building toward a long-term strategy for interoperability,” said Greg Walters, Co-Founder of Crickets Continuum. “Our members consistently told us that standardized billing and usage metrics are critical to scaling robotics programs. DCA/r, built on twAIn Robotics open APIs, gives dealers, ISVs, and manufacturers a shared framework to implement predictable, usage-based business models — without reinventing the wheel for every platform.”

Value Proposition for the Robotics Ecosystem

The combination of DCA/r and twAIn Robotics open billing metrics APIs delivers tangible benefits across the channel:

  •  For Dealers & MSPs:

Enable consistent, usage-based billing models across mixed robot fleets, reducing operational complexity and improving customer trust.

  • For ISVs & Platform Providers:

Integrate once with open APIs to support multiple robot vendors, accelerating time-tomarket and lowering integration costs.

  • For Manufacturers & OEMs:

Offer standardized telemetry and billing data to partners without exposing proprietary internals, while increasing ecosystem compatibility.

  • For End Users:

Receive clear, predictable, and comparable usage and cost reporting tied directly to business outcomes.

Crickets Continuum will collaborate closely with the TWAIN Working Group and the twAIn Robotics sub-working group to ensure DCA/r aligns with emerging open source standards and supports broad industry adoption.

Organizations interested in participating in the DCA/r initiative or contributing to early pilots are encouraged to engage with Crickets Continuum to help shape the next generation of interoperable robotics infrastructure.

About Crickets Continuum

Crickets Continuum is a membership-driven organization focused on translating emerging robotics and embodied Ai technologies into deployable, Office Ready Robots for the dealer and reseller channel. Drawing on decades of experience in managed print, managed services, and office technology, the Continuum works with dealers, OEMs, ISVs, affiliates and standards bodies to define practical commercial frameworks around service robotics, including usagebased billing, service readiness, and lifecycle support. Its mission is to bring robots to the channel and the channel to robots by aligning open standards with real-world deployment, financing, and operational requirements.

Source CRICKETS