Neya offers autonomy, mission planning, and open architecture for uncrewed ground vehicles. | Source: Neya Systems

Neya Systems yesterday announced that it is partnering with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, or AUVSI. The partners said they plan to develop a cybersecurity and supply chain framework and certification program for uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs). 

AUVSI and Neya Systems said they have observed a growing need for standardized evaluation and certification of UGVs. The goal of the collaboration is to establish comprehensive standards and testing protocols to enhance the security, safety, performance, and reliability of uncrewed and autonomous ground vehicles and robots.

The framework and voluntary certification program will focus on enhancing the protection, mitigation, recovery, and adaptability of AGVs, said the organizations. 

“We are excited to announce the development of this cybersecurity certification program for UGVs,” stated Kurt Bruck, vice president at Neya Systems. “This initiative represents a significant step forward in our efforts to establish an industry standard for protecting UGVs from unauthorized access. Our partnership with AUVSI will enable us to foster innovation and trust within the industry as a whole, ultimately enhancing the safety and reliability of these autonomous systems.”

Neya Systems has cybersecurity, simulation expertise

Warrendale, Pa.-based Neya Systems develops and integrates advanced, vehicle-agnostic, off-road, and airborne autonomy. The subsidiary of Applied Research Associates is a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award winner for its cyber autonomy initiative.

In March, Neya said it is working with the Embodied AI Foundation to update the CARLA open-source simulator for autonomous driving research to Unreal Engine 5.

Neya Systems said will be bringing its expertise in applying the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Zero Trust cybersecurity principles to its autonomy software to the partnership.

Neya has worked with the U.S. Army to turn the Palletized Load System into an optionally crewed, autonomous vehicle. Source: Neya Systems

AUVSI brings complementary experience

Arlington, Va.-based AUVSI plans to share the industry expertise of members in its Cyber Working Group and Ground Advocacy Committee. 

The nonprofit organization is dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics. It represents corporate, government, and academic professionals from more than 60 countries. AUVSI said its members work in defense, civil, and commercial markets. 

AUVSI’s Cyber Working Group previously advised on the development of AVUSI’s Green UAS Frameworks and certification. It said this is the only verification method besides Blue UAS that the DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit has approved as confirming compliance with National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requirements for drones. 

“The need for standards and certifications for uncrewed systems continues to grow alongside the development and integration of uncrewed and autonomous vehicles and robotics,” noted Casie Ocaña, director of trusted programs at AUVSI. “In the ground domain, AUVSI is looking to leverage our Trusted Cyber framework so that we can offer a solution to verify and support compliance among ground vehicle and robotics companies – which will further advance the safe and reliable future of these technologies.”

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Organization: Opteran
Country: U.K.
Website: https://opteran.com
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology

Current approaches to machine autonomy require a lot of sensor data and expensive compute and often still fail when exposed to the dynamic nature of the real world, according to Opteran. The company earned RBR50 recognition in 2021 for its lightweight Opteran Development kit, which took inspiration from research into insect intelligence.

In December 2023, Opteran commercialized its vision-based approach to autonomy by releasing Opteran Mind. The company, which has a presence in the U.K., Japan, and the U.S., announced that its new algorithms don’t require training, extensive infrastructure, or connectivity for perception and navigation.

This is an alternative to other AI and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), which are based on decades-old models of the human visual cortex, said James Marshall, a professor at the University of Sheffield and chief scientific officer at Opteran. Animal brains evolved to solve for motion first, not points in space, he noted.

Instead, Opteran Mind is a software product that can run with low-cost, 2D CMOS cameras and on low-power compute for non-deterministic path planning. OEMs and systems integrators can build bespoke systems on the reference hardware for mobile robots, aerial drones, and other devices.

“We provide localization, mapping, and collision prediction from robust panoramic, stabilized 3D CMOS camera input,” explained Marshall.

At a recent live demonstration at MassRobotics in Boston, the company showed how a simple autonomous mobile robot (AMR) using Opteran Mind 4.1 could navigate and avoid obstacles in a mirrored course that would normally be difficult for other technologies.

It is currently focusing on automated guided vehicles (AGVs), AMRs, and drones for warehousing, inspection, and maintenance.

“We have the only solution that provides robust localization in challenging environments with scene changes, aliasing, and highly dynamic light using the lowest-cost cameras and compute,” it said.

The company is currently working toward safety certifications and “decision engines,” according to Marshall.

Register now.

Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.

RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024

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Motion control has become critical to mobile robot design, says Applied Motion Products. Credit: Gorodenkoff, Adobe Stock

Automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots, or AGVs and AMRs, respectively, are the result of numerous design decisions and tradeoffs. In this free webinar, Applied Motion Products will discuss key factors for mobile robot design, such as performance, safety, and power availability.

Miguel Larios, applications engineer at the company, will explain crucial environmental considerations including IP protection and wheel specifications. He will guide viewers through the essential AGV/AMR specification and feature questions that are critical to ask when selecting the most appropriate motors and gearing for a new system.

Motor selection is increasingly important to include during the design phase because developers, integrators, and users continue to push performance requirements to new levels, according to Larios. He will also explore auxiliary axes for materials handling and jacking axes.

Attendees can learn more about the following in this webinar:

• AGV/AMR performance requirements and the impact on motor selection
• Powering the motion control in your mobile robot
• Safety and environmental considerations around automated systems
• How to select wheels based on operational requirements
• Auxiliary axis types and motion control solutions

“Get Your AGV/AMR Moving! Motion Control in AGVs and AMRs” will be at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Register now, and ask questions during the live discussion. The webinar will be accessible on demand after the initial broadcast.

About the speakers, Applied Motion Products

Miguel Larios is an applications engineer at Applied Motion Products Inc. and has worked in industrial automation for five years. During that time, he has worked in both sales and engineering roles and has been exposed to many industries implementing automation. Most recently, Larios has started to work in a product management capacity, focusing on AGV/AMR users.

Founded in 1978, Applied Motion Products has been committed to innovation and advancement of motion-control systems, supplying components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company sponsoring this webinar said it provides motors and drives for applications where precise control of position, speed, and torque is required. They include robotics, machine control, factory automation, semiconductor handling, packaging machines, and medical devices.

Morgan Hill, Calif.-based Applied Motion Products formed a joint venture in 2014 with Moons’ Shanghai to focus on developing cutting-edge technologies. The partners have research and development centers, as well as more than 200 patents for inventions, utility models, appearances, and software copyrights.

Eugene Demaitre is editorial director for robotics at WTWH Media, which produces The Robot Report, Mobile Robot Guide, RoboBusiness, and the Robotics Summit & Expo. He has extensive experience in business-to-business technology journalism and has participated in conferences worldwide, as well as spoken on many webcasts and podcasts. He is always interested in learning more about robotics. Demaitre has a master’s from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

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WiBotic 1kW System (battery not included). | Credit: WiBotic

WiBotic today unveiled a new 1kW wireless charging product for larger-capacity battery systems. The Seattle-based company has made a name for itself in the mobile robotics market by providing contactless charging as an aftermarket alternative to OEM contact-based changing systems. The prior product link included 150-watt, 250-watt, and 300-watt wireless charging options.

The new higher-power 1kW system can operate from any 110V 15A circuit or greater, said WiBotic. A 15A circuit provides about 1.5kW, so its transmitter can deliver enough power through the wireless system to the battery, it explained, but a 20A or 30A breaker would be needed to plug multiple units into the same outlet.

The WiBotic Commander software will manage the charging current based on source power circuit characteristics, so as not to trip a facility power circuit.

WiBotic says contactless charging promises benefits

The advantage of moving from contact charging to wireless charging is twofold, according to WiBotic. 

First, with contact charging, systems need to be manually connected and disconnected to the charger, it said. Some automated guided vehicle (AGV) and self-driving vehicle manufacturers provide autonomous contact chargers, but these systems use proprietary connectors.

End users that deploy mobile robots with contact chargers from more than one OEM will ultimately end up with a wall of dedicated charging stations that can only be used by specific robots. This is inefficient and takes up critical facility floor space, the company noted.

Cypher Robotics mobile robot in a warehouse – with integrated drone pad for aerial inventory – docked to WiBotic’s Edge transmitter. | Credit: WiBotic

“WiBotic’s new wireless 1kW charging platform enhances operations,” stated Peter King, vice president of Cypher Robotics Inc., an Ottowa-based provider of warehouse AMRs and drones. 

“We’ve successfully deployed WiBotic chargers for customers in a range of applications and in some difficult environmental conditions — but historically only in applications where overnight charging was possible,” he said. “With the new 1kW system, robots will charge at three times the previous speed, opening up a whole new set of applications where fast and ultra-reliable charging is needed.”

The second advantage of wireless charging is in the uniformity of the charging infrastructure, said WiBotic. Any available wireless charger station in a facility can be used by any robot in the fleet in need of a recharge.

Depending on the number of mobile robots in an end user’s fleet, this concept can vastly simplify the charging process, claimed the company. Facility operators can place wireless charging stations at various sites so they can used by any autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

Wireless communication for operational data

When retrofitting a mobile robot with the WiBotic charging system, a smart charger controller unit needs to be installed onto the AMR. This smart charger autonomously manages the power transfer from the wireless charging pad to the mobile robot unit.

WiBotic has an open API [application programming interface] that enables an AMR to easily communicate with the onboard smart charger.

The smart charger then wirelessly communicates with the powered pad to control the flow of energy wirelessly between the source pad and the onboard power receiver. With the new 1 kW power system, it can transfer more energy, more quickly, to larger mobile robots, said WiBotic.

Using a proprietary wireless communication channel, the onboard charger can also relay statistical information and other data, not only about the onboard battery, but also from the robot controller. This data dump is separate from any Wi-Fi or 5G communication connection to the robot and provides OEMs with another option for data transfer and communications.

Ben Waters, co-founder and CEO of WiBotic, described the smart communication feature:

“This higher-power product allows us to get into markets that aren’t robotic, machines like carton handlers, pallet jacks, and floor-cleaning vehicles. There are a lot of battery-powered vehicles out there today that are not yet robotic or autonomous. They’re just dumb devices in the sense that they are not connected devices, and OEMs don’t have a way to remotely talk to them. By adding wireless charging to their devices, they also now can communicate data from the devices. It can be a simple diagnostic, like: ‘How many hours does my floor scrubber have on it?’”

The company has also developed its own management software, WiBotic Commander. Customers can easily monitor the charging status and battery health of entire fleets of robots in real time. Charging procedures can then be implemented proactively to vary charge current and voltage to dramatically increase battery lifespan.

While end users can purchase and deploy the wireless chargers, WiBotic has focused on building relationships with OEMs and helping to integrate their mobile robot controllers to the WiBotic power controller. The WiBotic controller can also work with contact chargers, providing charge management options for any mobile robot power need.

“We [primarily] work with two types of customers,” said Matt Carlson, vice president of business development at WiBotic. “We work with the OEMs offering the robots as a service, but they’re the company who builds the robot, and then they provide it to the end customer. So with those customers, we work with their engineering teams very closely.”

“In some cases, we work with the end customer, where they might operate multiple robots or different types of carts,” he added. “And for one reason or another, charging is a huge problem for them. It’s a big cost because at the end of every day, some employee has to charge all the batteries on all of the robots, to prepare for the next day.”

The Wibotic Commander software is a ‘single pane of glass’ for managing the charging of a robotic fleet. | Credit: WiBotic

Higher-frequency charging helps prevent inductive heating

Another key feature of WiBotic’s system, according to Waters, is that it uses higher radio frequencies for energy transfer than some of its competitors.

“Some of these inductive systems operate at a lower frequency, typically between 50 and 200 kilohertz,” he told The Robot Report. “WiBotic uses 6.78 megahertz, which is still way below all your Wi-Fi [communication].”

WiBotic said its platform reduces safety risks from electrical shorts and fire risk from sparking across contacts, making it suitable for environments where dirt, dust, water or corrosion can lead to failed charging cycles.

“But there are some important technical advantages, especially at the higher power levels,” said Waters. “One is that we don’t heat foreign objects. Inductive heating systems are also in this range, so if there is some loose metal around, it can heat up [as a side effect]. A lot of [our competitors] have very robust foreign object detection, which is great. This will prevent metal objects from heating up, but it’s going to stop charging.”

“So operating at the higher frequency and adding in some of the things that we do around our adaptive tuning [means] we don’t have this phenomenon of heating metal objects,” he said.

WiBotic plans to demonstrate its new 1kW system at Booth 4087 near the ARM Demo Area at Automate in Chicago next week.

Register now.

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Chinese and U.S. companies led March 2024 robotics investments. Credit: Eacon Mining, Dan Kara

Thirty-seven robotics firms received funding in March 2024, pulling in a total monthly investment of $642 million. March’s investment figure was significantly less than February’s mark of approximately $2 billion, but it was in keeping with other monthly investments in 2023 and early 2024 (see Figure 1, below).

California companies secure investment

As described in Table 1 below, the two largest robotics investments in March were secured by software suppliers. Applied Intuition, a provider of software infrastructure to deploy autonomous vehicles at scale, received a $250 million Series E round, while Physical Intelligence, a developer of foundation models and other software for robots and actuated devices, attracted $70 million in a seed round. Both firms are located in California.

Other California firms receiving substantial rounds included Bear Robotics, a manufacturer of self-driving indoor robots that raised a $60 million Series C round, and unmanned aerial system (UAS) developer Firestorm, whose seed funding was $20 million. For a PDF version of Table 1, click here.

March 2024 robotics investments

Drones get fuel for takeoff in March 2024

Providers of drones, drone technologies, and drone services also attracted substantial individual investments in March 2024. Examples included Firestorm and Gather AI, a developer of inventory monitoring drones whose Series A was $17 million.

In addition, drone services provider Preneu obtained $11 million in Series B funding, and DRONAMICS, a developer of drone technology for cargo transportation and logistics operations, got a grant worth $10.8 million.

Companies in U.S. and China received the majority of the March 2024 funding, at $451 million and $100 million, respectively (see Figure 2, below).

Companies based in Japan and the U.K. were also well represented among the March 2024 investment totals. Four companies in Japan secured a total of $34.7 million, while an equal number of firms in the U.K. attracted $13.5 million in funding.

Nearly 40% of March’s robotics investments came from a single Series E round — that of Applied Intuition. The remaining funding classes were all represented in March 2024 (Figure 3, below).

Editor’s notes

What defines robotics investments? The answer to this simple question is central in any attempt to quantify them with some degree of rigor. To make investment analyses consistent, repeatable, and valuable, it is critical to wring out as much subjectivity as possible during the evaluation process. This begins with a definition of terms and a description of assumptions.

Investors and investing

Investment should come from venture capital firms, corporate investment groups, angel investors, and other sources. Friends-and-family investments, government/non-governmental agency grants, and crowd-sourced funding are excluded.

Robotics and intelligent systems companies

Robotics companies must generate or expect to generate revenue from the production of robotics products (that sense, analyze, and act in the physical world), hardware or software subsystems and enabling technologies for robots, or services supporting robotics devices. For this analysis, autonomous vehicles (including technologies that support autonomous driving) and drones are considered robots, while 3D printers, CNC systems, and various types of “hard” automation are not.

Companies that are “robotic” in name only, or use the term “robot” to describe products and services that do not enable or support devices acting in the physical world, are excluded. For example, this includes “software robots” and robotic process automation. Many firms have multiple locations in different countries. Company locations given in the analysis are based on the publicly listed headquarters in legal documents, press releases, etc.

Verification

Funding information is collected from several public and private sources. These include press releases from corporations and investment groups, corporate briefings, market research firms, and association and industry publications. In addition, information comes from sessions at conferences and seminars, as well as during private interviews with industry representatives, investors, and others. Unverifiable investments are excluded and estimates are made where investment amounts are not provided or are unclear.

Register now.

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Contactless wireless charging can power robots and electric vehicles. Source: Meredot

In the ever-evolving world of technology, the distinction between contact-based and contactless wireless charging has become pivotal, with an added layer of confusion thrown into the mix. Wired charging stations are now marketing themselves as “wireless,” blurring the lines between true contactless solutions and those requiring physical contact.

Let’s examine differences between contact-based wireless charging stations and contactless wireless charging. Wireless charging technology enables robots to operate longer, charge faster, and be safer and more reliable. It can also reduce the overheating chances. However, there are also drawbacks — what are they?

Contact-based charging limitations

Amidst the myriad options in wireless charging, the let’s address the pitfalls of contact-based wireless charging:

• Precise docking required: While these contact-based stations may be wireless, they demand accurate device docking and adapter connections, causing frustration and connectivity issues—a stark departure from the seamless experience promised by contactless solutions.
• Space invasion: Contact-based adapters and stations often take up more space, impacting both aesthetics and spatial efficiency. This contrasts sharply with the sleek and unobtrusive nature of authentic contactless charging.
• Wear and tear: Frequent use of connectors in contact-based charging can lead to wear and tear, compromising charging performance over time. Authentic contactless options eliminate this concern by eschewing physical connectors.
• Compatibility conundrum: Different devices may demand specific adapters with contact-based charging, leading to compatibility issues and the necessity for additional accessories. In contrast, true contactless solutions offer a universal and hassle-free experience.
• Maintenance mischief: The mechanical components in contact-based charging may require more maintenance, resulting in higher operational costs. Opting for genuine contactless technology minimizes the need for constant upkeep, providing a more sustainable and cost-effective solution.

Register now.

Contactless wireless charging benefits

Contactless wireless charging offers a host of advantages:

• Cord-free convenience: Bid farewell to cords, the hassle of tripping hazards, and the inconvenience of forgetting to charge. Contactless charging liberates you from the entanglements of traditional charging methods.
• Charging without precision parking: With contactless charging, simply place your device on the station, and charging begins seamlessly, eliminating the need for meticulous alignment.
• Reduced vulnerability to damage: With fewer exposed parts, contactless charging minimizes the risk of damage, ensuring a more robust and resilient charging solution.
• All-weather reliability: Contactless charging systems are impervious to snow, ice, and dirt.
• Compact design: Such stations can provide a smaller footprint and improved aesthetics. Their sleek and unobtrusive design can integrate more smoothly into an environment.

Contactless charging versus contact-based charging

How does contactless charging compare with contact-based charging? Most contactless stations boast an impressive array of features:

• Versatile operation: Contactless stations can operate indoors and outdoors, adapting to various environments with ease.
• Safety for all: These stations are designed to be safe for both humans and pets.
• Optimized fleet and battery performance: Contactless technology goes beyond mere charging, enhancing fleet and battery operations.
• Streamlined daily operations: Say goodbye to unnecessary complexities, contributing to extended battery charge and lifespan.
• Universal device compatibility: Compatible with a wide range of devices, these stations offer a universal charging experience.
• Durability: Built from durable materials, contactless stations promise longevity and reliability.
• Flexible installation options: Whether securely attached or elegantly inserted into the ground or wall, these stations promise flexible and secure installation choices.

Contactless wireless charging promises to be more robust than contact-based charging. Source: Meredot

Robots, drones already use wireless charging

Several companies are already successfully using or working on implementing wireless charging for robots. First, Amazon has worked on delivering packages with aerial drones. The e-commerce giant is planning to implement wireless charging stations.

Amazon‘s drones are designed to operate within a delivery radius of up to 20 miles from their base. The operational range is based on the drone’s battery capacity, taking into account the weight of the package. This effectively means that the drones can only fly in one direction before requiring a recharge.

To address this limitation and ensure seamless delivery operations within the designated working zone, Amazon plans to strategically place wireless charging stations. These stations will enable drones to recharge mid-operation, thereby doubling their effective delivery range without the need for manual intervention.

Also, companies like Starship Technologies have developed delivery robots with wireless charging. Food-delivery robots are equipped with sophisticated electronics enabling them to sense and navigate through complex urban environments. This level of autonomy consumes a significant amount of power, necessitating recharging approximately twice a day.

Businesses employing these delivery robots seek to streamline the recharging process to ensure minimal downtime and continuous operation. Wireless charging stands out as a promising method. This technology allows robots to recharge without manual intervention, can enhance operational efficiency, and reduces the need for physical contacts that can wear out over time or require precise alignment.

The choice for continuous operations

In addition, several pipe-cleaning brands are considering wireless charging for their robots because it’s challenging to constantly retrieve the systems. They need robots that do not need to be removed from pipes for charging, and wireless systems enable robots to be charged directly through the pipes.

This approach aims to streamline maintenance without the labor-intensive process of manually retrieving, charging, and re-deploying the robots. Wireless charging technology could allow charging stations to be installed within the pipe system itself, thereby providing power to the robots as needed and reducing downtime.

Airports are now planning to implement automatic means of moving people around, such as electric carts, which will require automatic wireless charging. This initiative addresses several logistical challenges, including the need to minimize wait times for passengers requiring assistance, reducing congestion in terminal areas, and optimizing the flow of people.

The adoption of automatic electric carts equipped with wireless charging technology could provide continuous operation, ensuring a smoother, more reliable service. In addition, this technology could support an airport’s sustainability goals by reducing reliance on traditional fuel-powered vehicles, contributing to a cleaner, more eco-friendly environment within the airport.

In short, wireless charging stations are needed in places where automation is taking place.

Addressing safety concerns with contactless charging

“But isn’t contactless charging dangerous?” you might wonder. Contactless technology is equipped with advanced intelligence. It can discern when a foreign object is present over the station’s pad transmitter, promptly shutting down to prevent any potential issues.

As we navigate the labyrinth of wireless charging options, it’s crucial to discern between marketing ploys and true innovation. When engaging with a wireless charging provider, inquire specifically about the nature of their product—whether it requires contact or is genuinely contactless.

Embrace the future of technology with true contactless wireless charging, where the promise of a seamless, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing charging experience is fulfilled.

About the author

Roman Bysko is co-founder and CEO of Meredot, a wireless charging technology company based in Lake Oswego, Ore., and Riga, Latvia. Meredot was founded in 2017 by a group of engineers and scientists who wanted to prove that wireless charging can be at least as efficient, faster and more convenient than the cable-based charging process.

Today, Meredot provides not only wireless charging technology but also already green solutions to wirelessly charge mobility, micro-mobility transport, robots and drones. The company claimed that its proprietary wireless chargers combine hardware and software for ultra-scalable, reliable, and manageable charging of electric vehicle and low-emision vehicles (LEVs).

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SAFELOG’s mobile robots can operate in a range of warehouse and factory settings using Opteran Mind. | Source: SAFELOG

Opteran Technologies this week announced at LogiMAT a partnership with SAFELOG GmbH, a manufacturer of order-picking and transportation robots for warehouses and factories. SAFELOG will integrate its mobile robots with Opteran Mind, a general-purpose autonomy product.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with SAFELOG, as this is another significant milestone on our path to commercializing Opteran Mind,” stated David Rajan, co-founder and CEO of Opteran Technologies.

“We are seeing a rapid take up of our technology across the U.S., Japan, and Europe, so today’s agreement with SAFELOG underlines why our technology is best in class for localization and mapping for mobile robots,” he added. “It also shows that while ‘natural intelligence’ is unique in the market, our inputs and outputs are standard, making Opteran Mind a simple and attractive solution to integrate with existing mobile robots.”

The companies said the multi-year agreement will enable SAFELOG to address the urgent need for greater productivity from autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) operating in hazardous and dusty environments. Opteran claimed that its technology can enable AMRs to handle dynamic lighting and ever-changing obstacles without GPS.

Register now.

SAFELOG aims to reduce failure rates

Markt Schwaben, Germany-based SAFELOG said it is developing a new generation of mobile robots that combine robustness and efficiency. A key objective of its project with Opteran is to reduce robot failure rates because of localization errors with existing 2D and 3D lidar, as well as with visual simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM).

Another challenge to productivity is when hundreds of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) operate together in a warehouse setting because each installation requires an infrastructure consisting of magnetic tracks and QR code reflectors. This can increase commissioning time and operating costs.

Opteran said its localization software enables new projects to be activated quickly and efficiently without additional infrastructure. 

“There are a lot of challenges for existing autonomy solutions to overcome in the complex conditions of a warehouse, so we have been amazed by what Opteran Mind can achieve,” said Michael Reicheicher, managing director of SAFELOG, in a release. “Opteran’s technology performs significantly better in our mobile robots, which will be hugely beneficial for our customers. Natural Intelligence, their approach to AI, offers a robust technology that we are confident will differentiate our AMRs in the global market.”

Opteran Mind promises navigation breakthrough

Opteran Mind is based on 10 years of research into insect brains. The company, which has facilities in London and Sheffield in the U.K. and Boston in the U.S., said it reverse-engineered natural brain algorithms. 

“Fundamentally, nature does navigation more efficiently than robots,” said Opteran Technologies. By replicating nature’s approach in a model that the company calls “natural intelligence,” it said it has delivered a “dramatic breakthrough.”

Opteran estimated that its system could cost less than $160 running on a Sony and ARM Core and using Sony IMX219 cameras and RK4566 ARM chips. In comparison, current systems can range in cost from $8,400 for a 2D lidar setup to $27,000 for a 3D lidar setup, it said.

Opteran and SAFELOG demonstrated their collaboration at LogiMAT in Stuttgart, Germany. They showed a SAFELOG mobile robot using Opteran Mind, which they said could increase adaptability and minimize downtime.

The partners said Opteran Mind can be embedded in ground-based robots and aerial drones for a wide variety of applications, from logistics and warehouse distribution to oil and gas inspection, mining, and autonomous vehicles.

The post Opteran to bring natural intelligence to SAFELOG mobile robots appeared first on The Robot Report.

How do you protect a robot’s sensitive electronics against water, dirt, and dust? How do you navigate unfamiliar landscapes? Perhaps the most pressing problem of all is how to charge those robots.

The challenge of contact-based charging

Indoor charging environments often use metal contacts on a dock to charge the robot, but that’s problematic in rugged environments where things are less predictable. Dust or mud can dirty the contact and reduce the current or stop it flowing altogether. Water can get in between the contacts and short them out.

Industrial robots cost thousands of dollars, and every minute that the electrons don’t flow turns the device from an asset to a liability. A dead robot can also create secondary costs in the kinds of remote environments that companies are now exploring. It could require a costly truck roll to repair or recharge the device when no one is on site to handle it.

Companies at the sharp end of the rugged outdoor robotics community are increasingly embracing wireless charging as an alternative to contact-based mechanisms. One of them is Clearpath Robotics, a manufacturer that designs custom robotics platforms for applications ranging from mining to oil and gas for research and, increasingly, real-world industrial usage.

Alongside safety, weather, and maintenance issues, positioning accuracy is also critical for rugged outdoor robotics applications, explained Clearpath’s technology director Robbie Edwards. The contact-based charging mechanisms the company uses for indoor systems have a three-centimeter tolerance.

“Even with 3 cm [1.1 in.] of tolerance, the stackup in localization accuracy and control for a larger robot system can be difficult to design for,” he said.

Clearpath’s Husky Observer robot, including WiBotic receiver coil shown mounted on the front. Source: WiBotic

Precise positioning can be a problem outdoors

That tolerance requirement becomes even more problematic in unforgiving outdoor situations. Edwards described one outdoor robot that Clearpath had developed with especially demanding requirements.

“While it was charging, it had to be safe for use around people,” he recalled. “And it needed 10 cm [3.9 in.] of docking tolerance.”

The contact-based charging solution was prohibitively difficult to implement.

“It was a multi-axis mechanism that was larger than the robot itself,” added Edwards. “It was expensive and complicated.”

Switching to a wireless charging system with a laser-guided docking system made challenges like these more tractable. Clearpath now uses autonomous software to dock its vehicle with WiBotic wireless chargers housed in fully weatherproof enclosures.

WiBotic’s mechanism uses resonant charging which, unlike older inductive wireless charging technologies, provides consistent power and efficiency even when coils are substantially misaligned. It enables Clearpath’s robots to recharge within a consistent amount of time to maintain duty cycles.

“We can definitely navigate to well within wireless tolerances, ensuring reliable charging even in difficult environmental conditions,” Edwards added.

When charging challenges heat up

Environments don’t get much more rugged than in the desert, where OnSight Technology sends robots to monitor vast solar arrays. The company helps energy clients solve some big challenges, including labor shortages. It’s difficult to find skilled people to inspect solar panels in remote, inhospitable areas.

OnSight’s uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) weigh than a quarter-ton,. They trundle along rows of panels conducting close examinations at ground level with a radiometric thermal imaging camera and an optical zoom camera. The AI-enabled devices use visual learning to verify installation crews’ work and then monitor the panels for damage after they leave.

Telltale hot spots on the back of a panel indicate that after long periods generating solar power in the harsh desert environment, something has gone awry. The key is to identify the issues that would require an expensive immediate engineer site visit.

“Every time they roll the truck, they’re going to just focus on the most critical issues,” said Graham Ryland, chief operating officer at OnSight. “Some issues look critical from the air but are really just a little dirt.”

On the other hand, a faulty connector could lead to thermal runaway and set panels alight. That could shut down the panels, creating costly production outages. The robots help to avoid that while balancing the cost of truck rolls.

OnSight’s UGV has a thermal camera and an optical zoom camera to detect and report anomalies on solar farms. Source: WiBotic

Safety is key for UGVs

Safety and reliability when charging are key for OnSight’s desert robots, explained Ryland.

“Our robot cannot be a cause for concern, but using electrical contacts in the desert is dangerous,” he said. Companies using them must build expensive, cumbersome shacks with closing doors to avoid sparks from the contacts causing fires.

Because wireless charging is contactless, there is no danger of arcing, eliminating the need for enclosed docking stations. Instead, the robot simply pulls up to an outdoor charging panel and accesses wireless power automatically.

“Onboard CANBus communication with the wireless charging system allows OnSight to remotely confirm charging success and monitor the health and performance of batteries over time,” said Ryland.

“One of the greatest features we found with WiBotic is the thermal backoff,” he noted. Charging a battery when it’s too hot or cold can damage it. This could be a problem in extreme day and night desert conditions.

However, charge voltage and current can be manually or programmatically adjusted based on those environmental conditions using WiBotic software that monitors and manages all charging stations and onboard chargers in real time.

“That level of intelligent charging greatly improves battery longevity,” Ryland said. “It has been critical for us.”

OnSight’s UGV, fitted with an onboard charger, approaches a wireless transmitter. Source: WiBotic

Easy charger deployment another benefit

Wireless charging in remote environments carries another benefit: charging ubiquity.

“The fact that we’re able to put wireless chargers just about anywhere and pull up to it and wirelessly connect without any electrical contacts has enabled us to deploy quickly,” Ryland says. Robots can increase their 25-sq.-mi. (64.7-sq.-km) range by traveling between chargers rather than returning home to an original charger at the day’s end.

“We primarily charge at night, but if we’re close to a charger, we’ll charge in the afternoon for a couple of hours when the sun tracking modules are flat and hard to inspect,” he explained.

Use cases like these are just the beginning for an outdoor robotics market that was worth over $150 million in 2022, according to Global Market Insights. That market could expand at a 16% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach more than $600 million in 2032, it said.

At WiBotic, we also see big opportunities in construction, where robots will clean sites, capture high-quality photo and video, and mark foundations for walls.

Other applications range from the familiar to the enormously challenging. One of our customers uses wireless chargers to juice up shopping carts that have fully digital displays. Those carts might operate indoors, but they still receive some punishing treatment from shoppers who crash them into other carts in the return corral, leave them outside, etc.

At the other end of the scale, WiBotic has worked with Astrobotic to build wireless chargers for lunar rovers to support NASA’s Artemis program to put humans on the moon for the first time in over half a century. That’s surely one of the most remote, unforgiving environments of all.

Astrobotic’s CubeRover is a modular vehicle designed to provide affordable mobility for scientific instruments and other payloads to operate on the surface of the moon. Source: WiBotic

What challenges or applications for rugged robotics can you suggest that might benefit from wireless charging? Let us know at info@wibotic.com.

About the author

Matt Carlson is vice president of business development at WiBotic. This article is posted with permission.

The post Charging challenges can be solved for rugged robotics appeared first on The Robot Report.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023
2:00 PM ET

Warehouses are key to the supply chain, demanding seamless orchestration of product handling, tracking, and movement. Mobile robots, including automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), are essential tools to augment warehouse efficiency. These technologies can not only streamline product transportation, but they can also reduce dependency on human labor, thereby optimizing operational costs.

Despite their potential, many warehouses have yet to adopt mobile robots. This webinar aims to explore the challenges hindering wider adoption, explore the benefits of integrating AGVs and AMRs, and equip OEMs and suppliers with insights to position themselves as reliable partners in the mobile robotics space.

The content for this webinar is based on The Mobile Robot Guide’s market research into this subject and the recently published report: “The Automated Warehouse: Supporting Growth of AGVs and AMRs in the Warehouse.”

In this free webinar, participants will:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of current AGV and AMR usage in warehouses, including historical adoption trends and recent industry statistics.
• Learn how to build a robust use case by identifying end-user needs and challenges, and explore practical examples of successful robot deployments.
• Understand the specific challenges faced by warehouse operators, including labor shortages, budget constraints, space limitations, integration complexities, and skill gaps.
• Acquire actionable directives for mobile robot OEMs and suppliers to better serve warehouse operators, including strategies for addressing budget concerns, developing flexible solutions, proactively recommending deployments, and forming a network of trusted partners.

Sponsored by:

Speaker

Mike Oitzman is editor, Robotics, WTWH Media and founder of The Mobile Robot Guide. He is a robotics industry veteran with over 25 years of experience at various high-tech companies in the roles of marketing, sales and product management.

The post Webinar: How mobile robots can bolster warehouse operations appeared first on The Robot Report.

The sales and marketing teams of WIferion become the new PULS Wireless Division. | Credit: PULS

DIN rail power supply provider PULS has acquired Wiferion from Tesla. This deal comes after Tesla acquired Wiferion for an undisclosed amount in June 2023. PULS said it plans to continue manufacturing, marketing and selling Wiferion‘s wireless charging products worldwide.

Wiferion is one of a small number of wireless charging solutions for AMRs, AGVs and electric forktrucks. Tesla never publicly stated what its intentions were for the young startup. But now we know. According to a source with knowledge of both these acquisitions, Wiferion’s engineers will remain at Tesla; they are not included in the deal with PULS. Wiferion’s engineering team has vast experience in high-power wireless power transmission. 

For Wiferion customers, PULS said nothing will change in the operational business of producing wireless power systems. PULS takes over all existing contracts, trademark rights, and patents for the technology. The sales, marketing, and support teams for Wiferion will transition into a new PULS Wireless division that will be located in Germany. 

“PULS employs more than 100 of the best developers in the industry and has global production and sales locations that take our charging technology and scalability to a new level,” enthuses Julian Seume, former CSO of Wiferion, and now PULS Wireless Division Director. “Especially in the area of new product development and application support, we are now in a much stronger position and can offer our customers an even better service.”

Register now so that you don’t miss this exciting event.

Wiferion currently manufactures its solutions through a third-party contract manufacturer. PULS has its own manufacturing facilities in Czechoslovakia and China, and the Wiferion products will ultimately be brought in-house to reduce production costs and take advantage of supply chain synergies with the PULS products, the source said.

Wiferion and PULS have substantial synergies due to the fact that they both compete in the power electronics industry. Power transmission via wireless means is an emerging method of power transfer where the energy is transferred across an air gap with spatially separated coils. This acquisition enables PULS to quickly become a leader in wireless power transmission with a ready-to-sell and deploy solution.

According to the source, Wiferion’s current product line will continue under the Wiferion brand name for the immediate future.

The post PULS acquires Wiferion’s wireless charging business appeared first on The Robot Report.

The maritime industry has recently surged its automation efforts to tackle global seaport congestion. These efforts can range from deploying things like gantries, automated port gates, and stacking cranes as well as AGVs.

“Automation improves port operations’ reliability, consistency, and workplace security. Also, from an environmental perspective, automation can lead to efficient operations and faster services. Automated ports are also far safer than conventional ports. The number of human-related disruptions falls as performance becomes more predictable with automation and data capture solutions,” Adhish Luitel, Supply Chain Management & Logistics Senior Analyst at ABI Research, said.

AGVs can be used to transport containers and loads to and from ships, and have been one of the most productivity-augmenting pieces of automation deployed at seaports, according to ABI Research.

The research firm expects AGV seaport deployments worldwide to have a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 26% from 2022 to 2030, which means global deployments will exceed 370,000 by 2027.

ABI Research also expects robotics automation to continue growing in other modalities of the global supply chain, like rail, air, and road. There are a number of automation providers, like VisionNav Robotics, Konecranes, HERE Technologies, and VDL Automated Vehicles, that are providing automation and digital tools to enhance efficiency and visibility across different transportation modalities.

In particular, rail camera systems for rail infrastructure are on the rise. Over 29,000 inspection robots were deployed in rail infrastructure globally in 2022, according to ABI Research. These robots are set to grow to over 43,000 by 2030 with a CAGR of around 5%, falling in line with the rising rail freight volume.

“Automation in various modalities, despite its benefits, can also bring costs of which supply chain managers might need to be wary. Although automation can streamline workflows and make tasks easier in the long run, they come at the expense of initial potential productivity losses that come with equipping workers with the right skillsets to operate and maintain these solutions. So, there is a change management aspect of which managers and authorities must be more mindful,” Luitel said.

The post ABI Research expects seaports to deploy 370,000+ AGVs by 2030 appeared first on The Robot Report.

An artist’s rendition of the experiment setup. | Source: Chen Y-X, Pan C-Y, Chen B-Y, Jeng S-W, Chen C-H, Huang J-J, et al

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) can help fight dengue-carrying mosquitoes in Taiwan sewers, according to a new study published in PLOS Neglected Tropic Diseases by Wei-Liang Liu of the Taiwan National Mosquito-Borne Diseases Control Research Center and colleagues. 

In the study, researchers combined a crawling robot, wire-controlled cable car, and real-time monitoring system into a UGV that takes high-resolution, real-time images of areas within Taiwan’s sewer system. Specifically, the UGV targeted covered roadside ditches that were suspected to be hotspots for mosquitoes carrying dengue fever. 

Schematic diagrams of the UGV equipment, which includes a crawling robot, a monitoring system, and a wire-controlled cable car. | Source: Chen Y-X, Pan C-Y, Chen B-Y, Jeng S-W, Chen C-H, Huang J-J, et al

Dengue fever is an infectious disease caused by the dengue virus that is spread by several mosquito species that are part of the genius Aedes, which can also spread chikungunya, yellow fever, and zika. The World Health Organization estimates that 390 million people worldwide are infected with dengue fever manually. 

Sewers make easy breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, and the most common mosquito monitoring programs struggle to monitor and analyze the density of mosquitoes in hidden areas, like covered ditches.

The robot system created by the researchers was deployed in five administrative districts in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan from May to August 2018. The UGVs found traces of Aedes mosquitoes in stages from larvae to adults in 20.7% of inspected sewers. 

Using the information gathered from the robots, researchers could follow up with additional prevention control measures, including insecticides of high-temperature water jets, in sewers where mosquitoes were found. 

After those interventions, the gravitrap index (GI), a metric that measures the adult mosquito population density nearby, dropped from 0.62 to 0.19. 

“The widespread use of UGVs can potentially eliminate some of the breeding sources of vector mosquitoes, thereby reducing the annual prevalence of dengue fever in Kaohsiung City,” the authors said.

The post These UGVs can combat mosquitoes in Taiwan sewers appeared first on The Robot Report.

According to GAM, the new GML Series Wheel Drive can be used as a direct drive or as a differential drive and can be combined with a steering drive to form a drive-steer unit. GAM said some of the benefits of the drive include:

• Compact design with very short overall length
• Motor mount customized to your motor, no additional coupling needed
• Directly mount the wheel to the gearbox output flange
• Integrated wheel bearing for high loads
• Very high efficiency
• 3 frame sizes available
• Fully sealed and maintenance-free
• Optional wheel available

There are a variety of chassis concepts used in automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). For an AGV, the alignment of the vehicle frame is fixed by the chassis. This leads to increased space requirements when cornering. For an AMR, the orientation of the vehicle frame can be set independently of the vehicle position. The required movement can be achieved using different combinations of travel, steering, and combination steering/travel wheel drives as well as non-driven wheels used for load support.

According to GAM, the new GML series coaxial wheel hub gearbox can be used in the following configurations: tricycle, differential drive and 4 drives with mecanum wheels. GAM said the GML series coaxial wheel hub gearbox will be fully launched later in 2023.

With its engineering and manufacturing flexibility, GAM can collaborate with robotics developers on the right product for its application — from its standard GML and OPG gearboxes to custom solutions for specific applications. GAM is a U.S.-owned manufacturing company that’s been in business for more than 30 years. Its product range of robotic and servo gear reducers, rack and pinion, linear mounts, servo couplings, and other specialized mechanical drive solutions is one of the largest in the industry.

The post GAM soft-launches GML Series Wheel Drive appeared first on The Robot Report.

Mobile robots. Credit: Licensed from AdobeStock

A new standard released by the ASTM defines the types of objects that might be encountered during the operation of an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) or Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV).

The new standard documents a list of common terms that describe these objects, and provides a common language for the use of both operators and manufacturers of this equipment. The standard was developed by ASTM’s committee on robotics, automation, and autonomous systems (F45).

This standard (F3588) provides specifications for a set of reference objects to act as obstacles or infrastructure for testing the capabilities of A-UGVs. The objects represent those common in many manufacturing environments. According to ASTM International F45 committee chair Adam Norton, this helps both developers of A-UGVs and those looking to use them with evaluating their systems.

The committee surveyed both end users and manufacturers to assemble the list of items that might be encountered by an autonomous, unmanned robot.

The survey results are listed here and are considered example objects found in warehousing/manufacturing, healthcare, domestic, and retail environments:

“For example, one object is a pallet that an A-UGV may need to avoid while navigating through a facility; another object is a rack that an A-UGV may need to position itself in front of in order to dock with it,” says Norton.

The standard, designated ASTM F3588-22, was released on November 9, 2022, and you can purchase a copy here.

The group is next going to develop standards concerned with dynamic obstacles, including those that move and change position.

The post New ASTM standard F3588-22 defines objects encountered by AMRs and AGVs appeared first on The Robot Report.

MOV.AI, which offers a robotics platform to develop autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), brought in $8.2 million in funding.

BOWE Group led the round, which also included participation from MOV.AI’s existing investors State of Mind Ventures, NFX and Viola Ventures. BOWE Group is a supplier of smart automation and IoT software solutions. The Augsburg, Germany-based company is a subsidiary of Possehl Group. 

“We are extremely bullish on MOV.AI’s ability to modernize the robotics market, a market that is a key pillar in modern industrial automation and is poised for hypergrowth,” Joachim Koschier, BOWE GROUP Managing Director, said. “The MOV.AI Robotics Engine Platform enables smooth human-robot collaboration in automation projects – something that BOWE group experienced firsthand as a customer. The digital transformation occurring in the intralogistics space requires flexibility, operational agility, and maintainability. MOV.AI provides the complete infrastructure and tools required to create and operate fleets of any AMR.”

MOV.AI’s Robotics Engine Platform changes how AMRs are built by separating the software from the hardware. AMR development, and deployment, can be expensive and time-consuming, in part due to inflexible robot software that is tightly linked with the robot’s hardware. 

The Robotics Engine Platform can speed development and deployment by offering enterprise-grade tools necessary for advanced automation to both AMR manufacturers and automation integrators. With the platform, manufacturers can more quickly differentiate their robots, and automation integrators can deploy in just days instead of months. 

“We are excited to have such an innovative leader as BOWE GROUP join our strong group of investors and lead this round,” MOV.AI CEO Motti Kushnir said. “The pressure on supply chains creates an opportunity for AMR manufacturers and automation integrators, who need to develop and deploy robots that meet customer needs quickly. BOWE GROUP is a leader in the world of intralogistics and automation. Their knowledge and expertise will drive forward MOV.AI’s ability to meet customer needs and extend our market reach.

We are thankful to our investors – State of Mind Ventures, NFX, Viola Ventures, and now BOWE GROUP – for their ongoing belief in our vision and in our ability to execute it. Their confidence as evidenced in this round is helping us drive change in the market and provide our customers with a much-needed solution.”

MOV.AI announced a partnership with Ouster, a digital LiDAR sensor manufacturer, in May 2022. The partnership integrates the two companies’ solutions for industrial equipment manufacturers that are interested in automating.  

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