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MIT develops navigation method to help delivery robots find the front door

MIT has developed a navigation method that is designed to help delivery robots find the front door of an address. (See video below.)

Standard approaches for robotic navigation involve mapping an area ahead of time, then using algorithms to guide a robot toward a specific goal or GPS coordinate on the map.

MIT says that, while this approach might make sense for exploring specific environments, such as the layout of a particular building or planned obstacle course, this method can become “unwieldy in the context of last-mile delivery”. [Read more…] about MIT develops navigation method to help delivery robots find the front door

Oceaneering selected to ‘digitally’ transform Pacific Drilling’s global fleet

Oceaneering International, Inc., and Pacific Drilling have entered into a five-year Digital Services Package agreement to provide Pacific’s customers with better reliability and improved throughput enabling streaming video and real-time data.

This will allow the provision of emerging services such as remote ROV piloting, surveying, and automation aboard Pacific Drilling’s high-specification drillship fleet.

As a result of these efforts, Pacific Drilling’s customers can benefit from higher security, increased access and management of third parties as well as new and expanded digital services.

[Read more…]

Giant distribution centers look to robots to deal with increasing e-commerce orders

Changes taking place in consumer behavior have drawn a new map, a new type of building and a new kind of automation for the retail sector.

Growth has taken place in both the number and size of the facilities that turn e-commerce orders into product deliveries. The distribution center, or operation fulfillment center, is increasingly emerging in locations that experience low real estate costs, offer tax incentives to locate there, have an available workforce for seasonal surges and offer multiple ways of transporting goods from their locations.

In the US, that means areas close to major metropolises, such as New Jersey and Oakland, CA, Midwestern hubs that are unencumbered by traffic-congested highways, such as Omaha, NB and Kansas City, MO, and traditional port cities such as Houston, TX, Norfolk, VA, and Savannah, GA. [Read more…] about Giant distribution centers look to robots to deal with increasing e-commerce orders

Toyota showcases new autonomous driving system at G7

Toyota offered test drives of an experimental vehicle featuring a newly developed automated driving system, Urban Teammate, during the 42nd G7 Summit in Ise-Shima, held on May 26 and 27.

In keeping with the philosophy behind Toyota’s Mobility Teammate Concept ― which the company claims is a unique approach to automated driving that “stresses the importance of a partner-like relationship between people and cars” – the Urban Teammate system was created to test the application of automated driving technologies on ordinary roads.

Urban Teammate is Toyota’s successor to Highway Teammate, which was unveiled in October last year. Highway Teammate was developed exclusively to enable vehicles to handle every aspect of highway driving without assistance, including negotiating on-ramps and exit ramps.

Clever idea to place eyes on robot hand helps machine to map surroundings and location

Before a robot arm can reach into a tight space or pick up a delicate object, the robot needs to know precisely where its hand is.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute have shown that a camera attached to the robot’s hand can rapidly create a 3-D model of its environment and also locate the hand within that 3-D world.

Doing so with imprecise cameras and wobbly arms in real-time is tough, but the CMU team found they could improve the accuracy of the map by incorporating the arm itself as a sensor, using the angle of its joints to better determine the pose of the camera.

This would be important for a number of applications, including inspection tasks, said Matthew Klingensmith, a PhD student in robotics. [Read more…] about Clever idea to place eyes on robot hand helps machine to map surroundings and location

Bosch introduces 3D landscapes to its vehicle navigation software

bosch, 3d map, mavigation — Bosch claims its 3D map software can work in cars when online or offline

Bosch has enhanced the map display on its built-in navigation systems so they now show a three-dimensional world, which the company says makes them “even more engaging and relevant”.

The company claims its system supports the Navigation Data Standard (NDS), which is an industry map standard for automotive technology.

On the new Bosch maps, buildings extend skyward, enabling you to get your bearings more easily, and visible changes in terrain height combined with integrated satellite imagery produce an almost photorealistic look. [Read more…] about Bosch introduces 3D landscapes to its vehicle navigation software