50 colour and shape information they supply also help provide key contextual information on the nature of objects detected. Most critically, the camera has awider vertical FoV than the Lidar, so it can detect objects at heights that could interferewith the pallets on top of the robot. “In warehouse environments, barcode reading is also very important,” Jain adds. “The camera can therefore identify pallets and trolleys as insurance that whatever cargo the WMS has asked the AMR to find, the correct cargo is in the right place, the WMS hasn’t recorded a mistake, and that the robot doesn’t pick up the next pallet to it by accident.” The camera set-up can be customised according to the end-user’s preferences on safety and cost. As a result, the 1T can integrate one camera or multiple cameras, and have them installed at different mounting points and angles. Addverb notes that one popular configuration is to have two cameras at the front and two at the back, as this provides for redundancy and to prevent robots from backing up into each other. The perception software stack is written with sufficient logic for integrating and fusing visual data streams fromany number of sensors. Power and energy The difficulty of training the 1T’s behaviour for safety in warehouse environments is why the drivetrain speed is capped at 2 m/s. In reality though it will rarely maintain that speed for long, given the need to account for the potential for moving objects to emerge from around corners, pallets or machinery. Exact details about the 1T’s drivetrain and components are proprietary, but Pattnayak comments that its design has been based largely on the application of classical mechanical theory, without any particular breakthrough or experimental component in the motors or suspension. When it came to choosing battery technologies, Addverb opted for safety. As many readers will know, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) remains the most widely available cell chemistry, and is generally still a winner in terms of gravimetric energy density. However, it is not the safest, particularly with regard to its risk of off-gassing and thermal runaway in the event of an impact, puncture or being run at excessively high currents during periods of high torque demand. The Dynamo series’ packs therefore integrate cells of two chemistries, both newer and safer than NMC. One is lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, which in addition to beingmuch safer than NMC cells also deliver power at amore stable voltage level over their charge cycles, meaning greater energy efficiency throughout the Dynamo’s operations. And although NMC cells aremore stable in cold temperatures than LFPs, the reasonably controlled environment in warehouses ensures that the UGVs will effectively never be dealing with extremes of temperature in the first place. The other cell type is lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells, such as thosemade by Toshiba. They can be charged very rapidly with no impact on lifespan, but cost a bit more than LFP-based packs. They are also safer even than LFP. In our article on the Clevon delivery UGV (UST47 December 2022/January 2023), we reported that the company used LTO packs on the road and asserted that they could be pierced with a nail without any risk of leaks or fires. Regardless of cell type though, the 1T is programmed with opportunity charging, autonomously seeking out charge points between orders to replenish its energy without disrupting workflows. Future plans Addverb plans to continue development of its uncrewed solutions. In addition to optimising and potentially expanding its existing solutions across ASRS and pallet-moving autonomous robots, it views quadrupedal and bipedal UGVs as the ideal next avenue to go down. As we have seen in previous articles, such as that on the ANYbotics ANYmal (UST40, October/November 2021), legged robots can walk up and down stairs as well as over objects, and can potentially even open doors. Such capabilities could greatly benefit goods transportation and warehouse logistics, and Addverb intends to play its part here. June/July 2023 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Digest | Addverb Dynamo 1T Dynamo 1T Dimensions: 1550 x 950 x 281 mm Empty weight: 250 kg Payload capacity: 1000 kg Maximum speed: 2 m/s Maximumendurance: 4 hours Specifications The Dynamos store energy in LTO or LFP battery cells which, via a receptacle on its rear, allow opportunity-based fast charging
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