Skyline Robotics Ozmo | Digest Infrastructure integration One key decision about the development of the Ozmo system was to use as much of the building’s existing infrastructure as possible, including the crane or davit system that supports the cradle, for example. “That’s a strategic decision, not just from a speed-of-implementation standpoint but because the equipment on the rooftop is regulated and has been approved by the local governing body,” Blum says. “By making no adjustments to it, we avoid bringing any unnecessary regulatory bodies into an implementation.” This approach meant the Ozmo’s control of the cradle had to be as simple and non-intrusive as possible. “We control only the y axis, and what we have is just a very basic electrical relay that opens and closes the circuit at the appropriate time, just as a human operator would press a button for the basket to go down,” Blum explains. That leaves the x axis of motion across the building’s facade under separate control from the rooftop. In advanced countries, there are typically three people in a high-rise window cleaning crew: two in the cradle and one on the rooftop near the crane for extra safety and support. The Ozmo needs only one operator, and it is from the roof that they would start and manage the robot once it has been installed and set up in the cradle, and control its horizontal movement. Set-up and operation Before anyone can operate the Ozmo they have to be trained and certified by Skyline. Blum says, “The first step is always getting the robot and the equipment to the roof. There might be an elevator to the rooftop, or you might have to load the robot into the cradle through a balcony, so you’ve always got to figure out the logistical plan.” Once all the equipment is on the rooftop, set-up takes about 90 minutes to two-and-a-half hours, he says, adding that the procedure is fairly well standardised from building to building, although there can be subtle differences. Next, he says, the operator follows their training to clamp the robot, the Lidar and cameras in their correct positions. They then log into the Ozmo system and initiate its self-checking process, which confirms, for example, that the connection to the y axis of the crane is made correctly, that all the cameras and sensors are operational, and validates sensor readings as the Ozmo descends the facade, particularly on the first day. The checking process typically takes 10 to 15 minutes. There is a similar shutdown procedure at the end of the day. Skyline continues to invest in the technology, and by the end of this year Blum is confident that it will have completed development of a multi-arm version of the system. “That’s been a big development effort this year, but we are now fully industrialised and fully waterproof, and we are commercialising the product.” ‘Owning’ the facade “The goal with the Ozmo is to ‘own’ the facade,” Blum says. “There’s more than just window cleaning that happens on a building; there are inspection services, polishing, light masonry work, surveying and water pressure testing. We look at the Ozmo as a platform, and the more services we can provide simultaneously, the better we feel we will be in the long run.” 113 Uncrewed Systems Technology | December/January 2024 The Ozmo’s brush seen over the roof parapet of a tall building, with its Ouster Lidar visible lower right. The brush includes water distribution nozzles (Courtesy of Skyline Robotics)
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