GPS World

Tag: semi-autonomous

  • Autonomous systems take on more tasks

    Autonomous systems take on more tasks

    Image: Renu Robotics
    Image: Renu Robotics

    While on public roads self-driving cars are still years away, autonomous systems are already common in much less congested and/or much more controlled environments — such as farm fields, ports, mines, rivers, and in the air — where the risk of a collision causing injuries or fatalities is smaller by orders of magnitude. From unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) taking aerial photographs, to unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) spraying vineyards, to unmanned surface vessels (USV) conducting hydrographic surveys, autonomous or semi-autonomous systems are generally much safer, more efficient, and cheaper to operate than their manned counterparts.

    Whether they have wheels, hulls, or wings to properly perform their tasks, autonomous systems need to know — with great accuracy — their position, heading and attitude (roll, pitch, yaw, surge, sway, and heave). For example, to spray grapes in a vineyard, an autonomous system needs to know not only its exact position but also whether it is level or tilted to one side due to uneven terrain, lest it spray the ground or into the air instead of the grapes. Similarly, a survey vessel’s pitch, which depends on its speed through the water, and its roll, due to waves and wind, affect the direction of its sonar beams.

    Knowing a platform’s position, heading and attitude requires tight integration of the outputs of GNSS receivers and inertial navigation systems (INS). This enables autonomous systems to compensate for their movements — either physically and in real time, by orienting their sensors or tools, or in software when post-processing the data they collected.

    The following three case studies sample current developments in autonomous systems on land, in the air, and on the water.

    — Matteo Luccio, Editor-in-Chief

    Learn more about the following case studies:

    ON LAND
    Hexagon | NovAtel: Talking on land with SMART antennas

    IN THE AIR
    Trimble Applanix: Unmanned aerial vehicles aid survey efforts

    ON THE WATER
    CHC Navigation: The boat boost

  • ION opens registration for IEEE/ION PLANS 2023

    ION opens registration for IEEE/ION PLANS 2023

    Photo: ION
    Photo: ION

    Registration is now open for the jointly sponsored Position Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS) taking place April 24-27. PLANS is a biennial technical conference that occurs in the spring of odd-numbered years to provide an international forum to share the latest advances in navigation technology. The conference is sponsored by the IEEE’s Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society (AESS) and the Institute of Navigation (ION).

    The PLANS conference takes place over four days, with the first day for hosting tutorials and three days dedicated to technical sessions.

    The tutorials aim to provide attendees with the opportunity to learn about navigation technology from industry experts. A variety of tutorials are offered to serve the needs of both newcomers and those well versed in the field of navigation. This year’s tutorials will include a range of navigation subjects from core navigation fundamentals to in-depth classes about the latest technologies.

    Technical sessions are offered over a three-day period, with four sessions running simultaneously each morning and afternoon. At the technical sessions scientists, researchers, and engineers from around the world present their latest work in the field of PNT. Technical session topics will include inertial sensing and technology; GNSS; integrated, collaborative and opportunistic navigation; and applications to automated, semi-autonomous and fully-autonomous systems.

    To view the PLANS 2023 technical program and register for the event, visit ion.org/plans.

  • Caterpillar takes command with Cat Command suite

    Caterpillar takes command with Cat Command suite

    Caterpillar’s Cat Command system enables operators, including disabled veterans, to control machines in dangerous environments from the safety of a remote command center. (Photo: Caterpillar)
    Caterpillar’s Cat Command system enables operators, including disabled veterans, to control machines in dangerous environments from the safety of a remote command center. (Photo: Caterpillar)

    Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, has invested in the development of autonomous vehicles for more than 30 years and has the world’s largest autonomous fleet of haul trucks.

    Its Cat Command suite of remote and semi-autonomous products for the construction industry helps increase safety, machine utilization and productivity for hauling, loading, excavating, drilling and dozing operations. They include onboard electronic and vision systems that allow machines to be controlled without anyone in the cab.

    Options include

    • The line-of-sight Cat Command Console, which is supported by a shoulder harness
    • The Cat Command Station, which can be located onsite, for line-of-sight operation, or offsite
    • The semi-autonomous Cat Command for Compaction technology, which automates soil compaction to help deliver consistent results.

    Over time, the company expects most of its machines to become compatible with its Cat Command technology.

    Here are a few examples of how construction companies are using Caterpillar technology:

    Cargo Barges. Associated Terminals, which transloads dry bulk and general cargo in the Port of South Louisiana, uses Cat Command to remotely control its small wheel loaders and excavators, keeping its personnel off the barges.

    “It gives me a lot of peace of mind knowing that when we are doing our jobs, digging in these cargo holds in the vessels, my friend and co-worker is not operating the machine in the hold,” said Thomas Ramagos, a production manager for the company.

    Fleet Management. Beverly Companies is a landscaping, snow removal and topsoil contractor in Chicago that owns equipment ranging from bulldozers to lawnmowers. The company uses my.cat.com and other Caterpillar fleet-management tools to track all its equipment in one place, help reduce machine downtime, manage repairs and maintenance, and order parts.

    Civil Contracting. Saiia Construction Company, a civil contractor in Birmingham, Alabama, uses Cat Command to increase the safety of its employees, said Frank Montgomery, the company’s president. The material with which it deals is sometimes unpredictable, and rain events can change conditions significantly, explained Superintendent Clint Kennedy.

    A remotely controlled front loader operates inside a barge. (Photo: Caterpillar)
    A remotely controlled front loader operates inside a barge. (Photo: Caterpillar)

    Cat Command enables employees to work from an office trailer, rather than having to trudge through mud and muck to get to a piece of equipment. The controls in the seat are almost identical to the ones in the cab, Kennedy pointed out. Another employee can stand behind the chair and coach the operator.

    High-quality cameras on site enable the operator to view the whole job site, while four on the machine enable the operator to distinguish brown dirt from red dirt and rocks from sand.

    Caterpillar machines also collect massive amounts of data and transmit them over the air to the company, where they are analyzed and used in business applications.

    Customers can access these data via my.cat.com and a mobile app to better understand and manage their vehicle fleets and operations, reduce fuel consumption, and improve productivity and safety. They can also access equipment locations, engine hours, parts and service records, and inspection reports.

    According to Caterpillar, it had one million connected assets at the end of 2019, almost twice as many as three years earlier, and almost all its new construction machines are equipped with these connectivity systems. The Cat Productivity web-based suite of solutions works with Caterpillar machines of any age and brand. Of course, newer machines will provide richer data and more accurate results.