The ETH project Ascento, which started as a focus project in 2018, is becoming a start-up with its latest robot model. The Ascento robot can move anywhere a human can, even over uneven terrain and obstacles. The robot&#39;s capabilities can be used for security services to guard large properties at any time of day and in all weather conditions, using 360-degree and thermal security cameras.&nbsp;

Robots that can perform guarding tasks and overcome obstacles have already been seen in films such as the Pixar animation "Wall-​E ". This film is set 800 years in the future. But similar robots are now becoming reality.

This robot is a security guard

When Angela Loh &rsquo;23 was 10 years old, she and her family moved to Shanghai from Michigan. She was immediately struck by how much more pollution she saw in Shanghai.&ldquo;When I stepped outside my home, the skies were grey and I could smell the stench of <a href="https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/indoors/air/pmq_a.htm" target="_blank">PM2.5 particles</a> hanging in the air. I would walk on certain local streets and see litter everywhere,&rdquo; she says. She noticed that most residents seemed complacent. &ldquo;Nobody seemed to care.&rdquo;But Loh did care, deeply, about environmental sustainability.As a freshman, Loh and Alan Hsiao &rsquo;21 founded <a href="https://cornellnexus.teleporthq.app/" target="_blank">Cornell Nexus</a>, a group of students from diverse colleges and majors who are designing and building an autonomous robot that will remove microplastics from the sand on beaches. The team hopes to have a working land-based prototype built by spring 2023, when they will turn their attention to creating a submersible robot that will remove microplastics from sea water.&ldquo;We are a team of individuals who want to step outside the boundaries of university competitions to make a difference on our planet,&rdquo; Loh says.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1670761221613-1206_micro1_0.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Angela Loh &rsquo;23 wires a component of the autonomous robot prototype.&nbsp;Microplastics, tiny bits of plastic the size of a sesame seed or smaller, are proliferating and pose a significant risk to ecosystems and to human and animal health. &ldquo;There are 50 trillion pieces of microplastics embedded in our sand, our marine life, our oceans and even in our drinking water,&rdquo; Loh says. A <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/microplastics-in-virtually-every-crevice-on-earth" target="_blank">recent survey</a> of the sea floor in the Mediterranean west of Italy found 1.9 million microplastics in one square meter. &ldquo;This is just one layer of sand in a single square meter of the Mediterranean,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Imagine how much microplastic has accumulated in all of our bodies, our water and our land.&rdquo;Beach cleaning operations focus on removing the waste we can see, such as plastic water bottles and trash, often using gas-powered tractors that bury microplastics beneath the top layer of sand. In contrast, the Cornell Nexus robot will use renewable solar energy to collect and remove microplastic waste. &ldquo;We believe that Nexus&rsquo; focus on autonomy and microplastics will revolutionize the technology for waste removal from beaches and bodies of water,&rdquo; Loh says.<h2>Planting the seed</h2>Loh recalls making hand-drawn posters promoting recycling and distributing them to her neighbors when she was in elementary school. Moving to Shanghai &ndash; a city she loves &ndash; was a wake-up call. &ldquo;I realized what big issues plastics, and pollution and waste in general, are on our planet,&rdquo; she says, &ldquo;and I really wanted to do something about them.&rdquo;In the summer after graduating from high school, Loh read a biography of Elon Musk and the founding of Tesla. &ldquo;Reading this allowed me to realize the boundless possibilities there are in the field of engineering,&rdquo; she says. Loh spent the next few months binge-reading biographies about inventors, entrepreneurs and engineers, from Steve Jobs to Leonardo da Vinci and Nike founder Phil Knight. She realized that engineering would be her springboard for creating change.After perusing the College of Engineering website, Loh switched her major from environmental science to electrical and computer engineering and computer science. &ldquo;Reading about the <a href="https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/students/undergraduate-students/special-programs/project-teams" target="_blank">engineering project teams</a> before I arrived at Cornell planted a seed in my brain that maybe one day it wouldn&rsquo;t be impossible to start my own,&rdquo; Loh says.Alan Hsiao was a junior and one of the first people Loh met as a freshman at Cornell. &ldquo;When we first started Nexus, I didn&rsquo;t know anything &ndash; not even basic knowledge about programming or wiring circuit boards &ndash; let alone building an entire vehicle that was going to traverse beaches and charge itself,&rdquo; Loh says. &ldquo;Alan would spend hours and hours mentoring me and teaching me concepts that I hadn&rsquo;t even heard of. &hellip; Through his kindness, wisdom and compassion, he has definitely left his impact on me, our Nexus team, the Cornell campus and our planet.&rdquo;<h2>Unleashing creativity, with help from alumni</h2>Nexus team members are now building a prototype with a multilayered filtering system to catch a range of different sizes of microplastics. When full, the robot will return to its docking station to offload the collected plastics and recharge.&ldquo;Creating our robot requires knowledge about concepts and implementation mechanisms that are usually taught in graduate-level courses,&rdquo; Loh says. Team members conduct their own in-depth research and seek out faculty who can guide their work. <a href="https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/about/branding-microsite/independent-thinkers/faculty-stories/joe-skovira" target="_blank">Joseph Skovira</a>, Ph.D. &rsquo;90, senior lecturer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the group&rsquo;s faculty adviser, is helping them refine their product.<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/whelangreg/" target="_blank">Greg Whelan &rsquo;83</a> of <a href="http://greywale.com/" target="_blank">Greywale Advisors</a> and part of the <a href="https://www.northeastern.edu/vmn/" target="_blank">McCarthy&rsquo;s Venture Mentoring Network</a> has been helping them navigate business outreach and fundraising.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1670761265270-1206_micro2_0.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Alan Hsiao &rsquo;21 solders a component of the autonomous robot prototype.&nbsp;To ensure they have funding to purchase specialized hardware and software components, Nexus members have been developing relationships with companies that might sponsor the project once they have a prototype. In spring 2021, Nexus won first prize in the <a href="https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/students/undergraduate-students/entrepreneurial-options-undergrad-students/innovation-competition" target="_blank">Cornell Engineering Innovation Competition</a>. The <a href="https://www.engineering.cornell.edu/news/celebrating-new-product-concepts-and-prototypes-2020-engineering-innovation-competition" target="_blank">Yunni and Maxine Pao Social Innovation Award</a>, funded by Carolyn Wang &rsquo;00 and Jeff Pao &rsquo;00, allowed them to buy better wheels, a more robust material for the robot&rsquo;s frame, filtration nets and more accurate sensors.<h2>Doing the greatest good</h2>Nexus is testing and refining their prototype in the 2022-2023 academic year, using a sand bed to test the robot&rsquo;s moving, digging and filtering mechanisms. Then they will place their robot at several beaches, including some recommended by alumni from the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1670761294974-1206_micro3_0.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">This rendering illustrates what the Cornell Nexus robot will look like when completed.&nbsp;Once the land-based robot is completed, the team hopes to launch their robot into the water, where the vast majority of microplastics are. &ldquo;Our vision is to expand our technology to address the heart of the microplastics problem, which is underwater,&rdquo; Loh says. &ldquo;Very few commercial robots are tackling this issue, on a macro and micro scale.&rdquo;There are multiple design possibilities for a seafaring robot, including a water-based recharging and waste removal station, which could be more efficient than returning the robot to land.The Nexus team plans to make their design freely available to the public. &ldquo;This includes all of our software code, mechanical CAD files, electrical circuit board designs, and so forth,&rdquo; Loh says. &ldquo;Our goal is to make an impact and do our part to save our planet.&rdquo;

Cornell Nexus, a group of students from several colleges and majors, are designing and building an autonomous robot that will remove microplastics from the sand on beaches. Jason Koski/Cornell University

Beach cleaning operations focus on removing the waste we can see, such as plastic water bottles and trash, often using gas-powered tractors that bury microplastics beneath the top layer of sand. In contrast, the Cornell Nexus robot will use renewable solar energy to collect and remove microplastic waste.

Students design robot to collect microplastics from beaches

This is the sixth article in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-management-for-tomorrows-innovations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">8-part series</a>&nbsp;featuring articles on Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations. The series focuses on power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems. This series is sponsored by Mouser Electronics. Through the sponsorship, Mouser Electronics shares its passion for technologies that enable smarter and connected applications.Vehicular asset tracking is an essential part of fleet management, providing a way to know the exact location of physical assets around the clock. The three main benefits of asset tracking are cost savings, theft protection, and preventative maintenance.&nbsp;This article describes how to power asset-tracking devices with small, efficient power solutions and protect them from electrical stresses in a vehicular environment adequately.<h2 dir="ltr">Power Requirements for Vehicular Asset-Tracking Devices</h2>Vehicular asset-tracking/fleet-management devices are powered by the vehicle battery, typically 12V in cars and 24V &nbsp;in many trucks. As an aftermarket add-on, they face a much harsher power management environment than a well-bounded OEM device.&nbsp;Most devices also have a rechargeable battery, typically 3.6V, intended to last two or three days when the main battery power is lost. The primary battery source protects the front-end electronics against transient and fault conditions. The protected voltage gets converted to usable, &nbsp;lower voltages (5V, 3.3V, 2.5V, or 1.2V) by step-down &nbsp;DC-DC converters and Low Dropout Regulators (LDOs) to power various digital logic and analog Integrated Circuits (ICs). Fig. 1 shows the architecture of a typical power system for asset-tracking/fleet-management devices.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjE3NDYzMzI1LTE2NjY2MTc0NjMzMjUucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" width="720" height="737" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 1: Typical asset-tracking/fleet-management power architecture. Source: Analog Devices<h2 dir="ltr">Powering the Device with Modern DC-DC Regulators</h2>Asset-tracking/fleet-management devices must be physically small to fit in small places. In such a small area, reducing heat dissipation in a device to keep its temperature within range is challenging. Fitting the power circuit into a small space requires highly efficient integration.&nbsp;Modern DC-DC regulator power solutions that effectively integrate the power MOSFETs, compensation circuits, and other external components help reduce overall circuit size. Combining the small solution size with the efficient synchronous rectification technology helps reduce power dissipation.One might consider employing LDOs here for small size since LDOs are generally low cost and very simple to use, but they have high power dissipation if used directly from the primary battery voltage, which is the main drawback. Dissipating this power in a small asset-tracking device may be impractical and may cause device overheating. Hence, a solution that meets both size and power dissipation requirements is preferred.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Protecting the Device from Faults</h2>Electronic components can occasionally encounter faults. Short-circuit and overcurrent protection circuitry is essential for preventing fire hazards and isolating the power cable from a failed-short device.When the ambient temperature becomes excessive or if there is an overcurrent or some other fault, the overtemperature protection prevents permanent damage by either scaling down the power or shutting down the device completely. Overtemperature protection prevents system overheating and fire hazards. It also ensures that the system operates within its defined temperature limits.Reverse voltage faults occur when the battery gets connected in reverse or the power cable is installed backward. While unlikely to happen, reverse voltage faults usually cause extensive damage to the power cables and electronic devices connected to the cable without proper reverse voltage protection.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Electronic Solutions by Analog Devices for Powering and Protecting the Vehicular Asset-Tracking Devices</h2>To increase integration and reduce the physical size of the power supply, <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/maxim-integrated/maxim-himalaya-uslic-power-modules/" target="_blank">Himalaya uSLIC&trade; power modules</a> by Maxim Integrated (a part of Analog Devices) integrate the power inductor and other discrete components with the DC-DC regulator. These easy-to-use, easy-to-design, and quick-time-to-market power module solutions only require an input capacitor, an output capacitor, and an optional soft-start setting capacitor to complete the power solution.&nbsp;The micro-sized system-level Integrated Circuit (uSLIC&trade;) family employs advanced packaging technology to minimize the module footprint. For example, the modules fit a 60V, 300mA power solution into a tiny, 2.6mm x 3mm x 1.5mm power module. This highly efficient synchronous DC-DC buck power module also minimizes heat dissipation in end equipment. The MAXM15062 has a fixed 3.3V output, while the MAXM15063 &nbsp;is similar but with a fixed 5V output. We employ these two modules to power our example asset-tracking/fleet-management device shown in Fig. 4.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjE3NDYxNDgzLTE2NjY2MTc0NjE0ODMucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 2: Maxim Integrated MAX15062 Synchronous Step-Down Converters. Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/maxim-integrated/maxim-max15062-converter/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>The MAXM15062/MAXM1563 uSLIC&trade; power module fits the bill here. Total power dissipation employing the uSLIC&trade; power modules provides an 18x power dissipation reduction compared to the LDOs solution. Low power dissipation also means lower system operating temperature and higher long-term reliability.For protecting the asset-tracking device, <a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/maxim-integrated/maxim-max17608-09-10-protectors/" target="_blank">Analog Devices AX17608 60V/1A current limiter</a> is a highly integrated IC that packs all necessary protections into a single, tiny 3mm x 3mm, 12-pin TDFN package.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjE3NDYxNTMxLTE2NjY2MTc0NjE1MzEucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 3: Maxim Integrated MAX17608, MAX17609, &amp; MAX17610 Current Limiters. Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mouser.com/new/maxim-integrated/maxim-max17608-09-10-protectors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>Some features of the MAX17608 are:<ul><li dir="ltr">High input voltage tolerance (+4.5V to +60V operating range)</li><li dir="ltr">Reverse voltage protection (tolerates -60V negative input voltage)</li><li dir="ltr">Reverse current protection</li><li dir="ltr">Short-circuit overcurrent protection</li><li dir="ltr">Adjustable OVLO, UVLO, startup current, and forward current limit</li><li dir="ltr">Overtemperature protection</li></ul><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjE3NDYzMTcwLTE2NjY2MTc0NjMxNzAucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Fig. 4: An asset-tracking device, powered by the MAX17608 protection IC and MAXM15062 and MAXM15063 &nbsp;uSLIC&trade; ICs. Source: Analog Devices<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>Vehicular asset-tracking/fleet-management devices are designed to operate from the vehicle&rsquo;s 12V/24V battery system and must fit in small places. They must be robust against transient conditions, including overvoltage, overcurrent, reverse voltage, reverse current, and overtemperature.&nbsp;Highly integrated and efficient uSLIC power modules ensure fit, mitigate thermal dissipation challenges, and enhance the long-term reliability of the device. Highly integrated protection ICs, on the other hand, provide all the necessary protections mentioned above and simplify the design over discrete solutions.&nbsp;This article is based on an <a href="https://www.mouser.com/ebooks/Power-Management-for-all-of-Tomorrows-Innovations" target="_blank">e-book</a> by Mouser and Maxim Integrated (a part of Analog Devices). It has been substantially edited by the Wevolver team and Electrical Engineer <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/ravi.rao" target="_blank">Ravi Y Rao</a>. It&#39;s the sixth article from the Power Management for Tomorrow&rsquo;s Innovations Series. Future articles will introduce readers to some more power management and optimization techniques for modern electronic systems.<hr id="isPasted">The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-management-for-tomorrows-innovations" target="_blank">introductory article</a>&nbsp;covered the fundamentals of power electronics, the technology behind highly-efficient power conversion in different electrical/electronic systems.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/finding-the-sweet-spot-for-flyback-converters-in-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">first article</a> shares some design techniques for efficient power management in EVs. It covers how manufacturers can build significantly better vehicular electric power systems with systematic planning and innovative power electronic solutions.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/ultralow-noise-switching-power-supplies-for-reduced-electromagnetic-interference/" target="_blank">second article</a>&nbsp;introduced readers to silent switching and how it prevents EMI at the source, rather than adding shields and filters to the product later.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/current-sensing-with-digital-power-systems-managers" target="_blank">third article</a>&nbsp;describes current measurement techniques using LTC297x series components by Analog Devices. It presents some application circuits and compares different approaches for current sensing in power electronic converters.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/selecting-the-best-power-solution-for-radio-frequency-signal-chain-phase-noise-performance" target="_blank">fourth article</a>&nbsp;discussed the problems associated with phase noise and experimentally showcased how power supply designs can be optimized to deal with them.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/extending-the-battery-life-of-hearables-and-wearables-with-single-inductor-multiple-output-switching-architecture" target="_blank">fifth article</a>&nbsp;featured Single-Inductor Multiple-Output architecture that integrates different power supply functionalities to drastically reduce the overall size and costs for wearables.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/building-power-and-protection-circuits-for-vehicle-asset-tracking-devices" target="_blank">sixth article</a>&nbsp;describes how vehicular asset-tracking devices are powered with small, efficient power solutions and protected from electrical stresses.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/power-supply-subsystems-for-remote-patient-vital-sign-monitoring" target="_blank">seventh article</a>&nbsp;explains how designers can implement and validate proven power supply circuits for enabling the reliable operation of healthcare devices.The <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/nano-power-converters-for-extending-the-battery-life-of-small-iot-products" id="isPasted" target="_blank">final article</a>&nbsp;dealt with a specific IoT power management solution for small, and portable gadgets. It showcases a nano-Power boost converter that &lsquo;operates on fumes&rsquo; to make the most out of all the available energy.<hr><h2 dir="ltr">About the sponsor: Mouser Electronics</h2>Mouser Electronics is a worldwide leading authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,100 manufacturer brands. They specialize in the rapid introduction of new products and technologies for design engineers and buyers. Their extensive product offering includes semiconductors, interconnects, passives, and electromechanical components.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjY2NjE3NDYxNTc4LTE2NjY2MTc0NjE1NzgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" width="720" height="91" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>[1] Protect and Power Vehicular Asset-Tracking Devices - Application Notes, Maxim Integrated, [Online], Available from:<a data-lf-fd-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" href="https://pdfserv.maximintegrated.com/en/an/an7122-protect-and-power-vehicular-asset-tacking-devices.pdf" target="_blank">https://pdfserv.maximintegrated.com/en/an/an7122-protect-and-power-vehicular-asset-tacking-devices.pdf</a>

Article #6 of Power Management for Tomorrow’s Innovations Series: Power supplies for vehicle asset-tracking devices must be designed to operate at different voltage-current levels, be compact, and offer protection during transients and electrical faults.

Building Power and Protection Circuits for Vehicle Asset-Tracking Devices

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1655251465857000&usg=AOvVaw1Zo6oDqN6YS7szzD3rfLuH" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/b9994242-1955-4fe8-8b78-0119591dcb17?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr>Robots have been working in factories for many years. But given the complex and diverse tasks they perform, as well as related safety concerns, most of them operate inside cages or behind safety glass to limit or prevent interaction with humans.In warehouse operations, where goods are continuously sorted and moved, robots can be neither caged nor stationary. And while large corporations like Amazon have already incorporated robots into their warehouses, they are highly-customized and costly systems where robots are designed to work within one particular facility on predefined grids or well-defined pathways under the guidance of specific centralized programming that carefully directs their activity.&ldquo;For robots to be most useful in a warehouse, they will need to be smart enough to deploy in any facility easily and quickly; able to train themselves to navigate in new dynamic environments; and most importantly, be able to safely work with humans, as well as sizeable fleets of other robots,&rdquo; said <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/directory/bios/zhao-ding.html" target="_blank">Ding Zhao</a>, the principal investigator and assistant professor of <a href="https://www.meche.engineering.cmu.edu/index.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">mechanical engineeringOpens in new window</a>.<blockquote>Warehouse robots need to be smart enough to deploy quickly and navigate safely in new dynamic environments.<cite>Ding Zhao, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering</cite></blockquote>At Carnegie Mellon University, a team of engineers and computer scientists have employed their expertise in advanced manufacturing, robotics, and artificial intelligence to develop the warehouse robots of the future.The collaboration was formed at the university&rsquo;s <a href="https://engineering.cmu.edu/mfi/index.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Manufacturing Future&rsquo;s InstituteOpens in new window</a> (MFI), which funds such research with grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The foundation made a lead $20 million grant in 2016 and gave an additional $30 million in May 2021 to support advanced manufacturing research and development at MFI.Zhao and <a href="https://www.cs.cmu.edu/about-scs/about-dean" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Martial HebertOpens in new window</a>, the dean of the School of Computer Science and a professor at the Robotics Institute, are leading the warehouse robot project. They have investigated multiple reinforcement learning techniques that have shown measurable improvements over previous methods in simulated motion planning experiments. The software used in their test robot has also performed well in path planning experiments at Mill 19, MFI&rsquo;s collaborative workspace for advanced manufacturing.&ldquo;Thanks to the advance in chips, sensors, and advanced AI algorithms, we are at the cusp of revolutionizing the manufacturing robots,&rdquo; said Zhao. The team leverages previous work in self-driving cars to the development of warehouse robots that can learn multi-task path planning via safe reinforced learning, training robots to quickly adapt to new environments and operate safely with workers and human-operated vehicles.<h2>MAPPER: Robots that can learn to plan their own pathways</h2>The group <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9340876?casa_token=cUj3VmXPbL8AAAAA:bSpFRfOElgYF1LAu1Jm-zMKgtDNnG8h9Q-0xOf74tYupFxTpC8CWIxmWW2V_nBrgjneX-54L" rel="noopener" target="_blank">first developed a methodOpens in new window</a> that could enable robots to continuously learn to plan routes in large dynamic environments. The Multi-Agent Path Planning with Evolutionary Reinforcement (MAPPER) learning method will allow the robots to explore by themselves and learn by trial and error in a manner similar to the way human babies accumulate more experience to handle various situations over time.The decentralized method eliminates the need to program the robots from a powerful central command computer. Instead, the robots make independent decisions based on their own local observations. The robots&rsquo; partially observable capabilities will enable their onboard sensors to observe dynamic obstacles within a 10&ndash;30-meter range. But with reinforced learning, robots will continually, if not indefinitely, train themselves how to handle unknown dynamic obstacles.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyMzY3MTUwOTExLTA0MjItZW0tMi13YXJlaG91c2Utcm9ib3RzLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">In November 2021, Ding Zhao and his students demonstrated their warehouse robot&rsquo;s capabilities to Pennsylvania senators Ryan Aument, Joe Pittman, and Pat Stefano, and Representatives Josh Kail and Natalie Mihalek, who were touring Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering. Source:&nbsp;College of Engineering&nbsp;Such smart robots can enable warehouses to employ large fleets of robots more easily and quickly. Because the computation is done with each robot&rsquo;s onboard resources, the computation complexity will increase mildly as the robot number increases, which will make it easier to add, remove, or replace the robots.Energy consumption could also be reduced when robots travel shorter distances because they are able to independently learn to plan their own efficient paths. And the &ldquo;decentralized and partially observable&rdquo; setting will reduce the communication and computation energy when compared to classical centralized methods.<h2>RCE: Robots that prioritize safety while in pursuit of programmed goal</h2><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2010.07968" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Another successful studyOpens in new window</a> applied the use of a constrained model-based reinforcement learning with Robust Cross-Entropy (RCE) method.Researchers must explicitly consider safety constraints for a learned robot so that it does not sacrifice safety in order to finish tasks. For example, the robot needs to avoid colliding with other robots, damaging goods or interfering with equipment in order to reach its goal.&ldquo;Although reinforcement learning methods have achieved great success in virtual applications, such as computer games, there are still a number of difficulties in applying them to real world robotic applications. Among them, safety is premium,&rdquo; said Zhao.Creating such safety constraints that are factored at all times and in all conditions, goes beyond traditional reinforcement learning methods into the increasingly important area of safe reinforcement learning, which is essential to deploying such new technologies.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUyMzY3MTg0NDk2LTA0MjItZW0tMS13YXJlaG91c2Utcm9ib3RzLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Mengdi Xu, a third year Ph.D. student at the CMU Safe AI Lab, works with an intelligent manufacturing manipulation robot. Source:&nbsp;College of Engineering&nbsp;The team evaluated their new RCE method in the Safety Gym, a set of virtual environments and tools for measuring progress towards reinforcement learning agents that respect safety constraints while training. The results showed that their approach enabled the robot to learn to complete its tasks with a much smaller number of constraint violations than state-of-the-art baselines. Additionally, they were able to achieve several orders of magnitude better sample efficiency when compared with constrained model-free RL approaches.<h2>CASRL: Robots that can learn to adapt to current conditions</h2>To further address how robots can navigate safely in typical warehouse environments where people and other robots are moving freely&mdash;or what researchers call non-stationary disturbances, <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9561593" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the group employed the use of a Context-Aware Safe Reinforcement LearningOpens in new window</a> (CASRL) method, a meta-learning framework in which the robots can learn how to safely adapt to non-stationary disturbances as they occur.In addition to workers or other robots moving around a warehouse, the CARSL method would also enable the robots to learn how to safely navigate other situations that could include inaccurate sensor measurements, broken robot parts, or obstructions such as trash or other obstacles in the environment. The team also applies CARSL to manipulation of tools and interaction with human, which can be directly applied to assembly in manufacturing.&ldquo;Non-stationary disturbances are everywhere in real-world applications, providing infinite variations of scenarios. An intelligent robot should be able to generalize to unseen cases rather than just memorize the examples provided by humans. This is one of the ultimate challenges in trustworthy AI.&rdquo; said Zuxin Liu, a third year Ph.D. student at the <a href="https://safeai-lab.github.io/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Safe AI LabOpens in new window</a> at CMU, supported by the MFI award.Zhao explains that the robot must learn to determine whether the previously trained planning policies are still suitable for the current situation. The robot updates policy based on the recent local observations in an online training fashion, so that it could be easily adapted to new situations with unseen disturbances, while also guaranteeing safety with high degree of probability. Given the past several minutes/seconds sensing data, the robot can automatically infer and model the potential disturbances based on the data and update the planning policy. Zhao&rsquo;s team further extends the method to <a href="https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper/2020/hash/47951a40efc0d2f7da8ff1ecbfde80f4-Abstract.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank">task-agnostic online enforcement learningOpens in new window</a>, which can continuously learn to solve unseen tasks with online reinforcement learning that not only is able to adapt to unseen, yet similar tasks, but also to identify and learn to solve distinct tasks.In each of the above studies, the new models and methods improved upon prior ways of training robots to move about safely and effectively in new and changing environments. Such successful incremental steps are essential to achieving the ultimate goal of verifiable level of trustworthiness required for better warehouse robots.The team will continue working on the deployment of manufacturing logistics and assembly manipulation. Zhao will also work on a new project funded by MFI on generating safety and security-critical digital twins/metaverse, which will be a critical tool in the development of trustworthy intelligent manufacturing robots safely and efficiently.&ldquo;The future of the next generation of manufacturing is now,&rdquo; said Zhao.

Zuxin Liu, a third year Ph.D. student at the CMU Safe AI Lab, operates the intelligent manufacturing logistic robot. 

Advances in chips, sensors, and AI algorithms are enabling robots to continuously learn how to plan routes, avoid obstructions, and operate safely in large dynamic warehouse environments.

Robots that can learn to safely navigate warehouses

Swarming robots hold the potential to solve a range of real-world problems, from <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/dlr-measures-flow-phenomena-around-wind-turbines-with-a-swarm-of-drones" target="_blank">analyzing airflow around wind turbines</a> and <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/adaptive-swarm-robotics-could-revolutionize-smart-agriculture" target="_blank">improving agricultural data gathering</a> to <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/nasa-works-to-give-satellite-swarms-a-hive-mind" target="_blank">monitoring the weather</a> or <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/could.tiny.satellites.explore.space.by.flying.in.flocks" target="_blank">exploring space</a>. There&rsquo;s only one problem: Research into robotic swarms can be an expensive endeavor.That&rsquo;s the problem HeRo 2.0 aims to solve. The creation of a quartet of roboticists from Brazil, HeRo 2.0 &mdash; an upgraded, streamlined version of the earlier HeRo platform from the same team &mdash; offers a low-cost compact robotics platform for swarm research and education based on off-the-shelf components and an easily-assembled 3D-printed chassis. Better still: The whole project is open source.<h1>Miniature marvels</h1>&ldquo;The robotic platform presented in this work takes advantage of the recent technological advancements to use mass-produced components that are smaller, affordable, and long-term available,&rdquo; the team explains of the robot. &ldquo;In addition, the design and assembly process follow new trends, such as the Maker Movement and Do It Yourself, which allow others to reproduce and customize the robot using additive manufacturing.&rdquo;The team set about designing HeRo 2.0 with a view to six key design principles: The robot should be as inexpensive as possible, to allow for larger swarms to be built without great expense; each individual robot should be small yet include on-board sensing capabilities and enough power for hours of autonomous operation; it should be highly tolerant to faults; communication between robots should be scalable to a large number of individuals; the robots should be easy to assemble and use only readily-available components; and they should be easy to program using existing development frameworks.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ5Mjc1NTczODU4LWhlcm8yLTIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A diagram of the HeRo 2.0 robotics platform, with the following parts labelled from the top: e-Hat, PCB board, cover, rotary encoder, battery, pinion gear encoder, rubber O-ring, servo motor SG90, castor wheel, motor chassis, board chassis, motor gear, spur gear wheel.">Built using off-the-shelf components in a 3D-printed chassis, HeRo 2.0 costs just $18 yet includes all the key functionality required for basic swarm research.The final design, which first author Paulo Rezeck and colleagues say meets all six of the requirements, is certainly low cost: The full bill of materials for each unit comes out at just $18.72, including $0.10 for a 38mm rubber O-ring and a battery powerful enough to push the robot for &nbsp;three hours of active experimentation &mdash; and that&#39;s a cost which could drop in large-volume production.The bargain-basement price comes courtesy of some unusual design choices, such as turning to a low-cost rotary encoder usually used to track the movement of the scroll wheel on a computer mouse to instead track the turning of the wheels. Continuous servo motors supporting simple control via the pulse-width modulation (PWM) output of a microcontroller further reduce costs, while the 3D-printable chassis uses just a little plastic and some electricity to be produced.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hAS7FKYkKWQ?&wmode=opaque&rel=0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0"></iframe> The microcontroller, too, was picked for its high performance at a low price: An Espressif ESP-12E, based on the ESP8266 and boasting a single 32-bit Tensilica LX106 core running at speeds of up to 160MHz plus 4MB of flash memory. To this, the team added eight infrared sensors &mdash; officially limited to measuring distances no larger than 2cm (around 0.8&quot;), but extended through clever operation to 30cm (11.8&quot;). Further expansion, meanwhile, is possible through what the team calls &ldquo;e-Hats,&rdquo; add-on modules which attach to the top of the robot to provide additional functionality &mdash; such as, the team has proven in prototype, a display screen or an inertial measurement unit (IMU).<h1>Programming perfection</h1>On the software side, the HeRo 2.0 platform offers a choice of programming paradigm. Its firmware was developed on the Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) using the Wiring language, an extended variant of C designed for embedded work. The &ldquo;rosserial&rdquo; framework was added to provide compatibility with the Robot Operating System (ROS), a popular platform for robotics work.As a result, the robots can be programmed in two ways. For direct programming, a new firmware can be written in the Arduino IDE and flashed to the robots over a Wi-Fi connection using the Firmware Over the Air (FOTA) protocol, allowing algorithms to run directly on the robots&rsquo; microcontrollers. Otherwise, the stock firmware&rsquo;s ROS support can be leveraged to place the swarm under control of a centralized server communicating via ROS messages.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ5Mjc1NjM0MTQyLWhlcm8yLTQuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A screenshot of the RViz software showing a map generated by a HeRo 2.0 robot; its path can be seen as a continuous line surrounded by data from its on-board distance sensors.">The researchers put the robot through a range of experimental tasks, including mapping, flocking, and collaboration on an object-transportation task.&ldquo;This mode is very convenient and scalable in the early stages of testing with multiple robots,&rdquo; the team notes of the server-based ROS programming mode. &ldquo;Furthermore, using the ROS framework for implementation, we have a series of tools and may use different programming languages.&rdquo;To prove the overall performance of the platform, the team set about comparing its capabilities to the E-puck &mdash; a highly popular commercial robot which costs $975 per unit, making it an order of magnitude more expensive than the HeRo 2.0 platform albeit with additional functionality including Bluetooth connectivity, additional sensors, and an on-board camera.In all tests the HeRo 2.0 proved capable of keeping up with its commercial rival, though with one caveat: While testing functionality like flocking and cooperative transportation, the team extended the robots&rsquo; on-board sensing capabilities with an overhead camera and the Apriltag tracking algorithm &mdash; to, as the team puts it, &ldquo;emulate a sensor in the robot that captures its neighbors&rsquo; position and relative velocity&rdquo; which is lacking in the hardware as-implemented.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQ5Mjc1NjQ3MDQ4LWhlcm8yLTEuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Four photographs of a HeRo 2.0 prototype shown from the top with its circuit board and distance sensors, from underneath with its wheels and castors visible, from the front, and from the side.">The compact HeRo 2.0 shows real promise for lowering the barrier to entry for swarm research, thanks to accessible development tools and its extremely low cost. There&rsquo;s room for improvement elsewhere, too. Proposed enhancements include a migration to the newer ROS 2 platform on the software side, the development of additional e-Hat add-ons in addition to the display and IMU units already prototyped, improvements to the internal filters for localization, and investigations in how to reduce variability of the 3D-printed parts in order to reduce post-processing and thus streamline assembly. More studies are also required to see how the low-cost parts stand up to repeated use &mdash; the rotary encoders in particular requiring replacement &ldquo;after months of use.&rdquo;The team&rsquo;s work has been submitted to the journal <cite>Autonomous Robots</cite>, with a preprint available <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.12391" target="_blank">on Cornell&rsquo;s arXiv server</a>.<h1>Reference</h1>Paulo Rezeck, Hector Azpurua, Mauricio FS Correa, and Luiz Chaimowicz: <cite>HeRo 2.0: A Low-Cost Robot for Swarm Robotics Research</cite>. DOI <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2202.12391" target="_blank">arXiv:2202.12391</a> <a href="http://cs.RO" target="_blank"></a>[cs.RO].

Costing just $18 each, the HeRo 2.0 robot platform includes expandability via "e-Hat" add-on hardware installed on the top.

Designed using off-the-shelf parts, a low-cost microcontroller, and a 3D-printed chassis, the HeRo 2.0 robot costs just $18 to build — and is at the heart of an effort to open swarm robotics up to a broader audience.

HeRo 2.0, an ultra-low cost 3D-printed robotics platform, could open swarm robotics experimentation up to all

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1640817319915000&usg=AOvVaw2nPRdRwJrXSYYeM9RCFu5x" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/3140758b-6aa9-46a5-829f-e13f372ed163?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr>Conventional agriculture is at a crossroads: on the one hand, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainable farming methods, and on the other, the use of pesticides and fertilizers is having serious consequences for the soil. But how can farmers reconcile economic yields and ecological farming methods? Autonomous agricultural robots are seen as a promising solution here. Up-and-coming companies such as the Dutch <a href="https://pixelfarmingrobotics.com/#robot-one" id="isPasted" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Pixelfarming Robotics</a> are developing systems that have the potential to change agriculture long term. One of the keys for the global success: a smart energy system, that is tailored for agricultural applications!&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM4Mjc5ODQ2NDE1LXRvb2xzLWFncmljdWx0dXJhbC1yb2JvdGljcy1hZ3Jhcm9ib3Rlci1waXhlbGZhcm1pbmcuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 100%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Excessive fertilization and the use of pesticides are increasingly affecting farmland. Insects, small animals and microorganisms fall victim to the measures, which has serious effects on the fertility of the soil and the fertilization of the plants. Companies like Pixelfarming Robotics aim to eliminate the need for pesticides and herbicides such as glyphosate. With Robot One, they developed an all-electric agricultural robot for weed control without pesticides.&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">Destroy weeds without chemicals with advanced sensors</h2>Depending on the task, the autonomous smart agricultural robots can be equipped with various tools such as hooks, streamers or spikes as well as sophisticated sensors to remove weeds without the use of chemicals. A total of ten robot arms are available, replacing five pairs of hands. These are all multifunctional and individually adjustable in row width and working depth. There is also no need to compact the soil by using heavy tractors.“Agricultural robots have the potential to radically change agriculture and herald the transformation towards ecological but at the same time high-yield cultivation,” says&nbsp;Arend Koekkoek, CEO and founder of&nbsp;Pixelfarming&nbsp;Robotics.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM4Mjc5ODg3NjQ3LWFncmFyb2JvdHMtYWdyYXJvYm90ZXItZXRhTElOSy0zMDAwX1dpZmVyaW9uX2VmZmljaWVudC13aXJlbGVzcy1jaGFyZ2luZy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 60%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Wiferion’s wireless battery charger etaLINK 3000 for mobile robots works fast, powerful and reliable even under hard outdoor conditions&nbsp; <h2 id="isPasted">Special requirements for the energy supply of agricultural robots</h2>Many experts are convinced that autonomous robots like those from Pixelfarming will be plowing fields, sowing seeds and harvesting crops in the future. But operating in harsh and dirty outdoor environments places special demands on the energy supply so that the battery-powered vehicles can also reliably perform their tasks. Energy solution providers such as the Freiburg-based tech company <a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wiferion</a> are relying on the concept of inductive energy transmission. With its “wireless charger” <a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/products/etalink-3000-inductive-charging-with-3-kw/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">etaLINK 3000</a>, the company is already the market leader for contactless charging of mobile robots and AGVs. Because the charging solution is an encapsulated system with IP65 certification, it is so strong that it already meets all the requirements of automated agriculture.<h2>Moisture, dust and dirt does not affect the power supply</h2>“Our&nbsp;etaLINK&nbsp;system has no open or live contacts,&nbsp;connectors or cables. Therefore, moisture, dust and dirt cannot affect the reliable power supply in any way,” explains Johannes Mayer, Managing Director&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wiferion</a>.In this way, Wiferion minimizes the risk of downtime. The <a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/products/etalink-3000-inductive-charging-with-3-kw/" target="_blank">system</a> works via plug-and-play and can currently charge at 3 kW. The charger can charge all common battery types – regardless of cell chemistry. However, Wiferion’s energy experts recommend the use of Li-Ion batteries to exploit the full potential of the energy supply of the agricultural robot. That is why Wiferion is working closely with battery manufacturer VARTA, which also believes in the future trend of sustainable management of agricultural land.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap">&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM4Mjc5OTMxMDg3LVZBUl9FYXN5X0JsYWRlXyZfRWFzeV9CbG9ja19DTVlLXzIwMjAtVkFSVEExLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 80%;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">VARTA Application Specific Batteries Easy Block and Easy Blade&nbsp;</div><h2 id="isPasted">Automated and robust power supply with VARTA batteries</h2><a href="https://www.varta-ag.com/en/industry/product-solutions/lithium-ion-battery-packs/asb/easy-block" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span data-ccp-parastyle="Formatvorlage1" data-ccp-parastyle-defn='{"ObjectId":"b923eab2-53b0-459a-af9e-42d4036cf962|184","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[134233614,"true",201340122,"2",201341983,"0",335559705,"1031",335559739,"0",335559740,"240",469769226,"Arial,Times New Roman",469775450,"Formatvorlage1",469777841,"Arial",469777842,"Times New Roman",469777843,"Times New Roman",469777844,"Arial",469778129,"Formatvorlage1",469778324,"Normal"]}'>VARTA</a>&nbsp;estimates that the global market for agricultural robotics will grow to around 24 billion US dollars by 2023. Demand for high-performance energy solutions for automated vehicles and robotic systems will be correspondingly high. According to&nbsp;VARTA, lithium-ion batteries for agricultural robotics applications offer several advantages over lead-acid solutions. The&nbsp;Application–Specific&nbsp;Batteries&nbsp;(ASB)&nbsp;Easy Block and Easy Blade&nbsp;developed by&nbsp;VARTA&nbsp;are lithium-ion packs for use in small and medium-sized vehicles. The batteries are modular and expandable&nbsp;and fit perfectly with the wireless charger of&nbsp;Wiferion&nbsp;to offer an automated and robust energy system for all kind of agricultural applications.&nbsp; First Published at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/news/autonomous-agricultural-robots-revolutionize-organic-farming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><a href="https://www.wiferion.com/en/news/autonomous-agricultural-robots-revolutionize-organic-farming/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wiferion.com</a>

No pesticides and herbicides anymore needed thanks to Pixelfarming Robotics and its robot » Robot One «.

Agricultural robots are the work force of tomorrow 

Autonomous agricultural robots revolutionize organic farming

Yasuhide “Yasu” Yokoi is the cofounder of design and technology firm Final Aim Inc., which works with laboratories, startups, and multinational companies to transform ideas into tangible solutions. There, he and his team use Ultimaker 3D printers to better enable rapid design iterations during the prototyping phase.<section>One of the company’s latest projects is the OSTAW Camello, an autonomous package delivery robot.<h2>Revolutionizing package delivery</h2>The Camello was designed to address issues in the delivery logistics chain in Singapore, which causes high shipment costs and operational complexities. Due to low loads and long waiting periods in loading and unloading bays, package deliveries are often inefficient – a fact exacerbated by high delivery volumes and tight delivery deadlines.To tackle this challenge, Final Aim collaborated with a Singaporean robotics start-up OTSAW Digital PTE LTD, with the Camello being the final product.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLfuav7Goc8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 789px; height: 441px;"></iframe>The Camello is user friendly, featuring an ergonomic cargo space and sleek design – optimal for Singapore’s urban environment. Plans are currently underway for it to be used by various industrial key players, delivery companies, and retailers throughout Singapore, creating an improved ecosystem that provides smooth and efficient delivery to customers, while increasing profit margins for those businesses that use it.<h2>The birth of the Camello</h2>As with any product, several phases were involved in Camello’s design, with the Ultimaker S3, Ultimaker Cura, and CAD software acting as Yasu’s and Final Aim’s greatest companions throughout the process.First came the robot’s concept development and evaluation. From the initiation to ideation, he used both hand-drawn design sketches and CAD software.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351339935-ezgif-4-ff30c01cc212.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Industrial designer Yasuhide Yokoi with the Ultimaker S3 and Camello prototypes&nbsp;</div>Once he developed the idea, Yasu began the process of presenting it to the higher-level management, frontline members, and end-users. This divergent approach allowed Yasu to gain as much feedback as possible, which he could then use to refine, improve, and further flesh out his concept.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351389427-ezgif-4-074c26f97a5a.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Early sketches of design ideas&nbsp;</div><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351426664-ezgif-4-9f90c2806768.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">A CAD design iteration, which can be 3D printed&nbsp;</div>Next came the prototyping phase. As Yasu now had numerous potential ideas, he needed to rapidly actualize them – often on tight deadlines. Luckily, this was a task that 3D printing was able to easily handle. Compared to other common prototyping methods such as sculpting or carving from Styrofoam, chemical wood, or industrial clay, 3D printing is much more efficient – freeing up time for Yasu to work on other design tasks.“More than just cost-cutting, 3D printing has added value to my process,” Yasu said.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351476615-ezgif-4-89136559e3a3.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">3D printed iterations of the robot, ready to be tested and compared&nbsp;</div><h2 id="isPasted">Finalizing an intuitive design</h2>Yasu was also responsible for ensuring that the Camello’s final design was of excellent quality. As his works often incorporate organically curved surfaces and silhouettes, which are often difficult to implement, he needed to create numerous iterations. 3D printing technology utilizes the contour layers of printouts to analyze the curvature of surfaces – essentially an equivalent to the zebra mapping that CAD software performs. “The Ultimaker S3’s double extrusion feature has [also] been essential to my everyday design applications,” Yasu said. “Together with Breakaway and PVA material, my printing experience has become exponentially more efficient. I am deeply satisfied with the resulting quality as it leaves behind no support structure remaining.”<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351527613-ezgif-4-7e8be04a50e7.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Finished 3D printed prototype in the Ultimaker S3&nbsp;</div><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1626351600118-ezgif-4-14928e22f90b.jpg" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Camello autonomously delivers groceries around Singapore&nbsp;</div>For the Camello to be a success, its design had to be intuitive and accessible at first glance. The design process, therefore, involved divergent ideation, exploring all possibilities, which were then carefully narrowed in focus. Development speed was also critical for stakeholders' requests.3D printing enabled these stakeholders to see and touch a physical product, deepening their understanding of the Camello’s concept and design – and streamlining the decision-making process.</section>

Yasuhide “Yasu” Yokoi is the cofounder of design and technology firm Final Aim Inc., which works with laboratories, startups, and multinational companies to transform ideas into tangible solutions. 

Yasuhide Yokoi and Final Aim Inc.: Rapid iterations of an autonomous delivery robot

Check out the pilot for our Wevolver Digest series. In this series we will create short informative digests about popular engineering topics, enabling you to stay up to date. Ole Müller, engineer at ETH Zurich, walks us through what's happening in fields such as autonomous vehicles, additive manufacturing, and robotics.&nbsp;This week we're diving into what the developments are in space tech. &nbsp;We take a look at the Perseverence landing, the MiTEE project which is a CubeSat as proof of concept for an electrodynamic tether in a space environment. Next to that we discuss SCALPSS, which consists of small cameras, each about the size of a computer mouse, to figure out what happens underneath a lunar lander when it lands on the moonfuture lunar and Mars vehicle designs. This and more in the new Wevolver Digest.To learn more about Ole, you can check out his Youtube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK1Qm9YjK9dqgfXEbhA-PLA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.You can follow the tag "space" on Wevolver and receive updates when new <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/tag/space" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">space</a> related content gets shared.

In this series we will create short informative digests about popular engineering topics, enabling you to stay up to date.

Wevolver Digest Pilot: Topic Space

The Ascento project is an invention by the Focus Project team composed of 8 Mechanical Engineering students and 1 Electrical Engineering student&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/eth.zurich" target="_blank">ETH Zurich</a>. It is initially a small agile jumping robot designed to transverse all-terrain environments. It has a combination of springs and high torque motors that enables it to move quickly on flat terrain and can balance and jump over obstacles.&nbsp;The Ascento 2 is an improved model of its predecessor and is an LQR-assisted wheeled<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/human.reflexes.keep.twolegged.robot.upright" target="_blank">&nbsp;Bipedal robot</a> with kinematic loops. A jump controller and fall recovery controller is installed in a model-based algorithm. It has the ability to counteract external disturbances, such as recover from a fall, and adjust its height as demonstrated in the video. It can overcome stairs, and escalators by jumping and can enter different resting positions. It can even ride a skateboard with one leg with ease. The improvements in the design can be seen in comparison with the former model.All the parts are 3D printed out of PLA12 nylon to make the robot more lightweight. Overall efficiency and high jumping height are achieved by torsional springs that are designed to counteract the robot’s own weight. It has custom wheel motors for smooth driving for balancing the robot’s tilt angle. A camera is installed at the robot’s head that acts as the sensor to map out its surroundings.

The Ascento project is an invention by the Focus Project team composed of 8 Mechanical Engineering students and 1 Electrical Engineering student at ETH Zurich.

rovers and wheeled robots