Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

lidar

Hesai Technology to provide lidar for planned Cratus warehouse robots

by

Hesai Technology, a provider of lidar solutions, and Cratus, a software solution integrator for lidar systems, have agreed a strategic alliance to develop autonomous warehouse solutions using Hesai’s “groundbreaking safety-rated” 3D lidar, the QT128.

Cratus has selected the QT128 as the lead sensor in its all-new lidar perception package for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

AGVs and AMRs have been used for many years in warehouses and manufacturing plants to accomplish a variety of material handling tasks. [Read more…] about Hesai Technology to provide lidar for planned Cratus warehouse robots

Ouster expansion supply agreements with May Mobility for autonomous vehicles

by

Ouster, a provider of high-performance lidar sensors, and May Mobility, a developer of autonomous vehicle technology, are expanding their supply agreements to provide lidar sensors for May Mobility’s autonomous vehicle solutions.

These expansions include a binding commitment for a combined purchase of over one thousand Ouster OS1 and Alpha PrimeTM VLS-128 sensors through 2024 to meet demand for new AV deployments starting this year.

Edwin Olson, CEO of May Mobility, says: “We are rapidly growing our operations and technology and need partners that deliver high-performing, reliable and scalable products to be successful. [Read more…] about Ouster expansion supply agreements with May Mobility for autonomous vehicles

Motional chooses Ouster as exclusive supplier of long-range lidar for its autonomous vehicles

by

Motional, a specialist developer of driverless cars, has selected Ouster as the exclusive provider of long-range lidar sensors for its all-electric Ioniq 5-based robotaxis. 

The serial production agreement will see Ouster supply Motional with Alpha Prime VLS-128 sensors through 2026.

A culmination of ten years of lidar development and learning from millions of road miles, the Alpha Prime long-range sensor is specifically designed for autonomous driving and advanced vehicle safety at highway speeds. [Read more…] about Motional chooses Ouster as exclusive supplier of long-range lidar for its autonomous vehicles

Improving industrial mobile robots with multiScan 3D LiDAR

by

SICK’s newest multiScan100 family uses time of flight (TOF) measurement to create a 3D perception of its surroundings. To begin, SICK is launching the multiScan136, with a planned launch in the future for more products in the multiScan product family.  [Read more…] about Improving industrial mobile robots with multiScan 3D LiDAR

Merger of Velodyne and Ouster creates $550 million lidar giant

by

Velodyne and Ouster have merged to create what could be described as a “lidar giant” at a time when interest in lidar – light detection and ranging – sensors are at an all-time high because of their applications in so many robotic and automated machines. 

Ouster and Velodyne describe their successful deal as a “merger of equals”. The combined company will keep the name Ouster and continue to trade on New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “OUST”. The two companies have a combined market capitalization of more than $550 million.

The merger creates a lidar powerhouse with over 850 customers spanning the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries supported by a robust product portfolio of innovative hardware and software solutions in addition to top-tier engineering and commercial teams. [Read more…] about Merger of Velodyne and Ouster creates $550 million lidar giant

ASI and SICK optimize and automate logistics truck yard operations

by

ASI Logistics and SICK Sensor Intelligence say they have achieved another milestone in the development of autonomous yard truck operations.

Together, the two companies have “solved the issue of reversing into trailers autonomously”. This is one of the final steps in completing fully autonomous yard operations.

ASI Logistics utilized is robust Vehicle Automation Kit (VAK) and SICK’s industry-leading LiDAR to overcome this challenge. [Read more…] about ASI and SICK optimize and automate logistics truck yard operations

Lumotive and Axibo partner to bring lidar to cinematography automation

by

Lumotive, the developer of Light Control Metasurface (LCM) beam steering chips enabling the next generation of 3D sensors, and Axibo, a cinema robotics company and the developer of autonomous camera motion control systems, have unveiled Axibo’s Precision eJib – a unique, designed-for-cinema, 6-axis robotic arm with 3D sensing capabilities made possible with Lumotive’s LCM beam steering technology.

The jointly-developed solution gives photographers and videographers unparalleled capabilities such as smart object targeting and tracking, enhanced image stabilization, and ground-breaking new autofocus features, to produce far crisper images and films combined with automated scene capture.

Available initially for professional-grade cameras, and under development for consumer-grade cameras, this revolutionary photography and cinematography automation solution takes advantage of Lumotive’s LCM beam steering chips that deliver best-in-class performance, range, and size in the 3D sensing industry. [Read more…] about Lumotive and Axibo partner to bring lidar to cinematography automation

MicroVision’s lidar solution now supported on Nvidia’s autonomous vehicle platform

by

MicroVision, a maker of MEMS-based solid-state automotive lidar and advanced driver-assistance systems, says its Mavin DR dynamic view lidar system is now supported on the Nvidia Drive AGX platform.

Mavin DR, MicroVision’s lidar sensor featuring a dynamic field of view, delivers high resolution at all ranges and with low latency, enabling new ADAS safety features to achieve true highway-pilot functionality that OEMs demand.

Nvidia Drive AGX is a scalable, open, centralized software-defined compute platform that serves as the AI brain for highly automated and fully self-driving vehicles. [Read more…] about MicroVision’s lidar solution now supported on Nvidia’s autonomous vehicle platform

SICK and Aeva partner to bring 4D LiDAR to industrial sensing applications

by

Aeva, a leader in next-generation sensing and perception systems, and SICK announced a strategic multi-year collaboration to bring Aeva’s Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR to a variety of industrial sensing applications including long-range sensing, starting with Aeries II.

Dr Niels Syassen, member of the board responsible for technology and digitization at SICK, says: “We are pleased to partner with Aeva and work closely together to bring its FMCW technology to high performance industrial sensing applications.

“We are convinced that their unique approach to FMCW technology, which includes instant velocity detection and long-range performance, will provide new opportunities for us and our customers in a variety of industrial sensing applications where traditional time of flight LiDAR technologies are challenged.” [Read more…] about SICK and Aeva partner to bring 4D LiDAR to industrial sensing applications

Velodyne Lidar signs multi-year agreement with Boston Dynamics

by

Velodyne Lidar has agreed a multi-year contract for its lidar sensors with Boston Dynamics, a developer of mobile robotics.

Boston Dynamics selected Velodyne’s sensors to provide perception and navigation capabilities for its highly mobile robots, which are capable of tackling the “toughest robotics challenges”.

Velodyne’s lidar sensor solutions enable mobile robots to operate autonomously and safely, without human intervention. They provide real-time 3D perception data for localization, mapping, object classification and object tracking. [Read more…] about Velodyne Lidar signs multi-year agreement with Boston Dynamics