GPS World

Category: Machine Control / Agriculture

  • Analog Devices provides IMUs for autonomy

    Analog Devices has produced a series of five high-performance inertial measurement units (IMUs) for industrial applications that address the navigation- and safety-related needs of industrial applications in several emerging markets, while also reducing their system complexity and cost.

    The IMUs provide six-degree-of-freedom (DoF) sensing via triple-axis MEMS-based accelerometers and gyroscopes, and are focused on the demands of the industrial “internet of moving things” and its need for precise geolocation.

    The ADIS16470, ADIS16475 and ADIS16477 IMUs have standard surface mount assembly. The three models are optimized to provide a range of performance, cost and application-suitability needs.

    The ADIS16465 and ADIS16467 IMUs offer similar performance advantages in a more ruggedized enclosure option.

    Together, the products bring a previously unavailable performance-for-cost ratio to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications where designers have previously struggled with costly, risky and sub-par performance solutions from integrating consumer-grade sensors, which also fell short of reliability goals.

    These new IMUs bring the same benefits to autonomous machine applications in fields such as smart agriculture, where the demands of such rugged equipment previously forced a choice between cost-challenged, highest-grade sensors or performance-limited commercial sensors.

    All of the IMUs provide six degree-of-freedom (DoF) sensing via triple-axis MEMS-based accelerometers and gyroscopes, and are focused on the demands of the industrial “Internet of Moving Things” and its need for precise geolocation. Their performance allows systems to characterize motion accurately despite turbulence, vibration, wind, temperature and other environmental disturbances, resulting in more accurate navigation and guidance and instrument stabilization.

    The ADIS1646x and ADIS1647x IMUs are specifically designed to reject what are otherwise significant error sources, such as ‘g’-influence, cross-axis sensitivity and temperature and mechanical stress-related drifts.

  • Telit, Husqvarna roboticize for park sustainability

    Mower-maker Husqvarna has installed a wireless sensor device co-developed by Telit and Wireless System Integration (WSI) in its city robotic mower pilot program. Cities are using the Husqvarna mowers to collect data about the environment, the quality of air, water, and levels of light and sound, while maintaining the cities’ green spaces, saving time and money, reducing emission and noise pollution.

    A Husqvarna robotic mower patrols a lawn along Prince’s Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. Equipped with a GPS-enabled Telit module, it gathers real-time sensor data on the city’s green space environmental conditions.

    In parks in seven cities — Edinburgh and London in the United Kingdom, Gothenburg and Stockholm in Sweden, Almere and Leeuwarden in the Netherlands and San Francisco in the United States — mowers autonomously cut the grass daily and collect real-time data on UV radiation, air quality, ambient noise, luminosity and vibration.

    The sensor box, designed by Telit, is mounted on top of the mower, uses the robot’s main battery for power supply, and recharges whenever the robot returns to its base. The sensor box transmits the data using Telit’s HE910-G cellular module which includes a GPS L1 receiver with reported 3-meter accuracy to acquire mower position.

    Telit HE910 cellular module has GPS option.

    Geofencing is enabled for the mower as well as location-based alarms to disable it should it be moved without authorization. To ensure public safety, sensors detect any nearby objects, including people and animals, causing machines to turn away.

    Telit’s global Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity data plans and platform seamlessly connect, manage and deliver the environmental data in a ready-to-use format.

    Environmental Gains. One of the biggest roadblocks to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is the lack of data. Cities need better environmental data to improve health and create cities people want to live in. The project measures the environmental gains and potential time savings of mowing public lawns with robotic mowers. The test will measure the reduction of noise pollution as well as direct emissions when replacing petrol-powered products with battery driven robotics.

    In cooperation with Husqvarna, Quantified Planet, an organization that links innovation to science, receives the data and publishes it for citizens to review. The cities can then analyze the environmental data sent by the robots and implement programs to improve the health of its citizens, based on these insights.

    “This new data can provide insights and innovation on how to develop and improve sustainable open green spaces which impact the citizens living nearby,” said Maja Brisvall, CEO, Quantified Planet.

    “The need for green spaces is growing more and more in urban areas. The pilot program affords the possibility to increase sustainability and productivity in professional landscaping for urban areas,” said Pavel Hajman, president of the Husqvarna division.

    “Cities are using IoT to become more sustainable and efficient,” added Yosi Fait, Interim CEO, Telit. “Through this collaboration we have been demonstrating again our sensor-to-cloud capabilities, cutting our customers’ time to market through our integrated lines of products and services as well through our professional services team’s significant IoT knowhow.”

  • AutoSteer accelerates autopilot for farmers

    Tersus GNSS Inc. has released a new AutoSteer autopilot for agricultural machinery.

    The AG960 AutoSteer System is designed to accelerate the application of autopilot for precision agricultural machinery and enhance and optimize operational accuracy and productivity for modern farmers.

    By integrating high-precision real-time kinematic (RTK) receiver and software, the AG960 enables agricultural machines to operate in accordance with a pre-set planning path. Using precise GNSS guidance, the hydraulic system of the agricultural machinery is steered by the vehicle controller.

    Agricultural machines can operate aligned with the set route automatically, while graphical detailsare displayed on the vehicle display panel. The system is easy to use and applicable for each working cycle of agriculture, such as soil tillage, plowing, building of ditches and ridges, seeding, spraying and harvesting.

    Tersus plans to launch a series of solutions that meet the requirements of different farming machines. The AG960 was first commercially deployed in China, and will be rolled out in other regions around the world.

    Austosteer Components

    The AG960 AutoSteer System includes:

    • two GNSS antennas
    • vehicle display panel computer
    • high-precision positioning receiver: GPS L1/L2, GLONASS G1/G2, BDS B1/B2, Galileo, QZSS
    • hydraulic valve (steering wheel optional)
    • autopilot (controller)
    • coaxial rotation direction sensor
    • electromagnetic hydraulic valve
    • radio receiving antenna mast/pedestal
  • Komatsu debuts intelligent machine control excavator

    Komatsu debuts intelligent machine control excavator

    The PC210LCi-11 is designed to increase jobsite efficiency. (Photo: Komastu)

    Komatsu America Corp. has launched the PC210LCi-11 intelligent machine control hydraulic excavator.

    This second-generation PC210LCi leverages the proven track record and success of the pioneering PC210LCi-10, while adding machine-control joystick functionality.

    The technology offers up to a 63 percent improvement in excavating efficiency over a standard PC210LC-11 and traditional stake-plus-grade-checker methods, the company said.

    The extra efficiency can save time and money by  minimizing the need and expense of grading dozers and grade checkers. It also minimizes the costs associated with over-excavating, including extra materials, fuel and time. It saves time wasted waiting on grade checkers and over-excavation to finish jobs and potentially collect on-time or finish-early project bonuses.

    Key features of intelligent machine control technology include:

    • Full 3D GNSS Capabilities: Not limited like 2D only systems, the PC210LCi-11 features full 3D capabilities, allowing it to dig to grade everywhere on the jobsite a 3D GNSS dozer can.
    • Work Equipment Automation: GNSS technology tied into machine hydraulics to allow actual automation of work equipment functions — not just the indication/manual-only operation typical of aftermarket offerings.
    • Machine Control Function Enabled Joysticks: Frequently used machine control functions are now located on the operator’s control lever for increased convenience and comfort.
    • Stroke Sensing Hydraulic Cylinders: No delay position readout with our proven, robust technology, validated in thousands of machines worldwide.
    • Intelligent Guidance: Advanced features such as facing angle compass and minimum distance bucket control are delivered in a simple and intuitive manner, with a class-leading 12.1” touchscreen display.
    • Factory Integrated: Intelligent Machine Control technology factory installed, integrated into the base machine, and validated to the Komatsu quality standards.

    “The excavator is productive and precise enough to be a fixture on jobsites from basement and foundation pads to utility work,” said Sebastian Witkowski, product marketing manager for Komatsu America.

  • Wyzelink IoT workflow app now on Geotab Marketplace

    Wyzelink Systems’ IoT workflow-automation application, WyzeTask, is now available in the Geotab Marketplace. WyzeTask is the newest application in the marketplace and is a complement to the MyGeotab platform, which serves more than 14,000 Geotab customers.

    WyzeTask maximizes employee productivity by automating task tracking and job completion processes, freeing workers from paperwork and manual data entry. Automation also maximizes record accuracy by avoiding the errors that come with manual entry.

    The WyzeTask solution includes the WyzeBeacon, a wearable device that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to transmit data to a nearby BLE scanner, which can be a Geotab IOX-BT hub or a smartphone/tablet running the WyzeTask application. Employees simply click a button on their WyzeBeacon to have it log and share information such as their task status, time and GPS location.

    Designed for field workers in public works, construction and manufacturing, WyzeTask leverages Geotab’s IOX-BT hub to reliably transmit data even when they’re away from their smartphone or IOX-BT-enabled vehicle.

    WyzeTask includes an easy-to-navigate Geotab webAdd-in with an interactive map that allows administrators to view task progress and other key information. A mobile app also lets supervisors assign and change worker’s tasks from the job site or remotely.

    “Wyzelink creates intelligent solutions for workforces outside of a typical office building with wireless IoT technology, smart sensors and wireless applications,” said Brian Barry, Wyzelink Systems CEO. “By closely tracking workforce tasks, businesses can cut through the tedious paperwork process and focus on core responsibilities while improving efficiency, productivity and workplace safety.”

    “The addition of Wyzelink provides increased IoT capability as we continue to create an impressively connected ecosystem for Geotab’s Marketplace customers,” said Joey Marlow, Geotab executive vice president of U.S. operations. “Through Geotab’s IOX Bluetooth hub, telematics tracking and data collected from WyzeTask, management now has the ability to collect and analyze workforce data to deliver business intelligence.”

    The Geotab Marketplace provides an extensive ecosystem of valuable business focused applications and Add-Ons, helping customers add value to their Geotab fleet management solution. Launched in 2015 as a complement to the MyGeotab platform, the marketplace is used by more than 14,000 Geotab customers.

  • PCTEL launches multi-band LTE/Wi-Fi/GNSS antenna with sub-inch profile

    PCTEL launches multi-band LTE/Wi-Fi/GNSS antenna with sub-inch profile

    PCTEL Inc. is offering a new multi-band LTE/Wi-Fi/GNSS antenna with a sub-inch profile. The antenna combines PCTEL’s high rejection multi-GNSS technology for precision timing and location tracking with high performance multi-band data connectivity.

    The antenna is also rugged and easy to install, making it suitable for covert public safety operations, precision agriculture and the industrial Internet of Things (IoT).

    “Complex, high performance antennas are critical for modern public safety communications, as well as for commercial applications such as mobile asset management,” said Rishi Bharadwaj, senior vice president and general manager of PCTEL’s Connected Solutions group. “However, vehicles and autonomous systems have limited space for antenna installation. PCTEL’s sub-inch antenna addresses these space limitations while delivering high performance multi-band coverage. PCTEL also offers external and embedded antenna system design services for customers with more severe antenna size constraints or other specialized requirements.”

    Within its ruggedized ultra-low profile housing, PCTEL’s new antenna supports multi-band LTE MIMO and dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi for data connectivity, as well as GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo GNSS satellite technologies.

    All GNSS elements feature PCTEL’s proprietary high rejection technology to ensure reliable satellite connectivity in the presence of LTE signals or other interference. The antenna has been fully tested for use in extreme environments and on heavy agricultural equipment.

    PCTEL will display its new multi-band LTE/Wi-Fi/GNSS antenna along with other antenna solutions for public safety communications at APCO 2017 in Denver Aug. 14-15, in booth #1943. The antenna can be ordered using part number GNSMB-COV beginning Aug. 15.

  • Grade control integrates 3D automatics

    Grade control integrates 3D automatics

    Trimble Earthworks for Excavators and Earthworks for Dozers brings integrated 3D aftermarket excavator automatics capability to machine control.

    A new dozer configuration moves the receivers from the blade to the roof of the cab. Reengineered from the ground up, Trimble’s next-generation grade-control platform features intuitive software that runs on Android.

    (Photo: Trimble)

    Android System. The Trimble Earthworks grade-control application is built on the Android operating system. It was developed based on feedback from construction equipment operators, resulting in an interface optimized for productivity.

    Colorful graphics, natural interactions and gestures, and self-discovery features make the software easy to learn. Each operator can personalize the interface to match their workflow, and a variety of configurable views make it easier to see the right perspective for maximum productivity, the company said.

    Using Android, users can download other applications that provide the operator with useful tools inside the cab. Contractors can use the Trimble TD520 display or a third-party Android device.

    Excavator Automatics. When the excavator is placed in Autos mode, the operator controls the stick, and Trimble Earthworks controls the boom and bucket to stay on grade, reduce overcut and increase production. This allows operators to achieve grade consistently, with high accuracy and in less time.

    Mastless Dozer Configuration. Trimble Earthworks for Dozers mounts dual GNSS receivers on top of the cab to eliminate masts and cables traditionally located on the blade. The dual GNSS receivers are designed for steep slope work and complex designs with tight tolerances. According to Trimble, the new configuration keeps valuable receivers safer and can also save contractors time by reducing the time needed to remove and reinstall them each day.

    Earthworks Highlights

    • Grade-control app runs on the 10-inch Trimble TD520 touchscreen
      Android display.
    • Excavators can work semi-automatically, allowing operators to create smooth, flat or sloped surfaces more easily.
    • Software and hardware give operators of all skill levels the ability to
      work faster and more productively.
    • Allows data files to be transferred to or from the office wirelessly and automatically, keeping designs current.

  • VADER + Atlas help troubleshoot on the job

    Hemisphere’s Atlas-enabled Platinum VADER smart antenna.

    Plantium, in Santa Fe, Argentina, is a full-service provider of precision agricultural guidance systems to some of Argentina’s largest farming operations.

    The company makes its own guidance and control devices, installs them and offers farmers real-time, remote support if required. Plantium uses the Atlas GNSS Global Correction Service as the primary means of providing precise, real-time location corrections to its customers, and their receivers are based on Atlas-ready OEM boards from Hemisphere GNSS.

    “We design, manufacture and sell precision agriculture systems,” said Federico Baulies, robotics engineer for Platinum. “As a part of our SBOX7 + DirectDrive + VADER system, Atlas really helps with all of these. Atlas tools give us the ability to diagnose and solve problems in real-time — probably its best feature.”

    “As soon as we hear of an issue, from operators or from alarms built into our monitors, we can collect several working variables — such as interference and satellite noise — immediately, from our offices, and diagnose many problems instantly,” Baulies explained.

    Argentine farmers benefit from remote problem-solving with the Hemisphere Atlas-enabled Platinum VADER smart antenna.

    “That means we do not have to wait for 30 minutes to see if our client will get convergence — we know right away. A lot of that capacity is built right into the Hemisphere OEM boards or from the way the Atlas service is designed.

    “These diagnostic tools also help on the customer’s end,” Baulies said. “The Atlas service and Hemisphere’s OEM boards make clear user interfaces possible, and end users are rarely confused about the state of their equipment.”

    Once a problem is diagnosed, Plantium engineers can implement fixes quickly, using cellular connectivity.

    “We can often diagnose and fix a problem remotely, sometimes in the same phone call,” Baulies said.

  • Hexagon launches HxGN AgrOn Logistics harvest solution for sugarcane, forestry

    Hexagon launches HxGN AgrOn Logistics harvest solution for sugarcane, forestry

    Hexagon, a global provider of information technology solutions, has launched HxGN AgrOn Logistics, an end-to-end solution enabling sugarcane and forestry producers to manage and optimize the complex logistics processes essential to harvest.

    HxGN AgrOn Logistics will be officially unveiled today at Agrishow, one of the world´s largest agricultural technology trade shows, in Ribeiro Preto, Brazil.

    “In agriculture and forestry operations, success is defined by productivity,” said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “Efficiently moving product from field to processing is one of the most critical phases of production, and one filled with logistical risks. HxGN AgrOn Logistics is streamlining and optimizing this entire process,”

    AgrOn Logistics simplifies harvest with communications, insights and operations that are continuously optimized — from planning to field to processing. Real-time communications between machines enable easy coordination, while advanced software handles monitoring, capacity planning, scheduling, dispatching, resource management and more intensive data analysis.

    The benefit to sugarcane and forestry harvest operators is complete connectivity, with workflow synchronization that optimizes every step of the process – from planning to dispatching to real-time execution and full machine automation.

    Field-tested by more than 70 producers, AgrOn Logistics users are experiencing steep productivity gains and sharp decreases in raw materials loss, Hexagon said,

    HxGN AgrOn Logistics will put data to work for a more intelligent approach to harvest: connecting, synchronizing and optimizing workflows, people and information while reducing operating expenses.

  • Trimble to acquire Müller-Elektronik for precision agriculture

    Trimble has signed an agreement to acquire privately held Müller-Elektronik, a German company specializing in implement control and precision farming solutions.

    The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions and clearance or expiration of the waiting period under the German Act Against Restraints of Competition. Financial terms were not disclosed.

    With more than 375 employees, Müller is precision farming company known for developing, producing and selling electronic control units and embedded software that provides vehicle and implement control for tractors, combine harvesters, field sprayers, drill machines, seeders, spreaders and slurry tankers to improve the management of inputs such as seed, fertilizer and pesticides.

    Müller was a key contributor in the development of the ISOBUS communication protocol, which allows one terminal to control several implements and machines, regardless of manufacturer. ISOBUS standardizes the control settings, reduces downtime and minimizes installation and interface challenges, simplifying data exchange and machine control. The implement control solutions developed by Müller have now become widely adopted by leading agriculture OEMs and aftermarket channels.

    Combining the technology and strengths of Trimble and Müller will enable the development of new and exciting solutions for farmers worldwide, who often struggle to integrate and use disparate hardware and software products across various brands of agricultural equipment. The addition of Müller-Elektronik will enable the creation of an ecosystem where farmers, advisors and retailers can easily build field prescriptions and transfer that prescription to the implement, enabling farmers to more easily adopt precision agriculture solutions.

    “Our planned acquisition of Müller-Elektronik recognizes the growing importance of the implement in variable rate application solutions as well as the importance of an integrated platform that is agnostic to equipment brand,” said Darryl Matthews, Trimble senior vice president. “Müller’s ISOBUS solutions are already compatible with a significant range of equipment manufacturers. This capability, together with existing Trimble competencies, will enable us to expand our role in the growing market for variable rate applications. We plan to continue to fully support existing Müller customers and partners.”

    “Trimble is a leading provider of precision agriculture hardware and farm management software,” said Christian Müller, managing director for Müller-Elektronik. “Bringing Trimble together with Müller’s leading ISOBUS solutions will create an industry-changing opportunity to deliver a system-wide integration that is uniquely available through the combination of the companies. Our systems, combined with farm management software, will enable OEMs to provide integrated plug-and-play solutions straight from the factory, while also helping the growing aftermarket channel looking to support its customers with mixed fleet operations with an ISOBUS solution.”

    The acquisition of Müller-Elektronik will include the company’s other operations, WTK Elektronik, a German-based company, ME-France, ME Sudamerica, an Argentina-based company, and Mueller Electronics Inc., a North American-based company. The Müller-Elektronik businesses will be reported as part of Trimble’s Resources and Utilities Segment.

  • GSA launches 2017 GNSS Market Report

    GSA launches 2017 GNSS Market Report

    GNSSMarketReport2017-coverWith an in-depth look at market opportunities and trends across eight market segments, the European GNSS Agency’s (GSA’s) annual GNSS Market Report serves as a key resource for navigating the fast-evolving world of satellite navigation technology and GNSS applications.

    The fifth edition, the 2017 GNSS Market Report, was released May 10 by Carlo des Dorides, executive director for the GSA, at the European Navigation Conference held in Lausanne Switzerland.

    According to the new report, the growing demand for precise location information, in combination with the ongoing evolution of GNSS technology, means that today’s GNSS market is bigger than ever.

    According to the 5th edition of the GSA’s popular GNSS Market Report:

    • The global GNSS market is expected to grow from 5.8 billion devices in use in 2017 to an estimated 8 billion by 2020.
    • The GNSS downstream market is expected to produce over € 70 billion in revenue annually in 2025. When the revenue created by added-value services is included, this number could more than double.
    • The global GNSS downstream market is forecast to grow by more than 6 % annually between 2015 and 2020. Following the declaration of Galileo Initial Services in 2016, chipset and receiver manufacturers and application developers are leveraging Galileo signals, and a number of Galileo-ready devices are already on the market.
    • By 2025, the installed base of GNSS devices in drones will reach 70 mln, more than twice the sum of other professional market segments combined.

    Regularly referenced by policy-makers and business leaders around the world, the GNSS Market Report serves as the go-to resource for an in-depth look at GNSS market opportunities and trends across an array of essential market segments.

    “Providing in-depth information on today’s GNSS market opportunities and a data-driven forecast of its evolution through to 2025, this edition is a must-read for anyone looking to successfully navigate this promising market,” des Dorides said.

    The GNSS Market Report takes a comprehensive look at the global GNSS market, providing a thorough analysis per market segment (Location-Based Services, Road Transportation, Aviation, Maritime, Rail, Agriculture, Surveying and Timing & Synchronisation), region and application type, including information on shipments, revenues and installed device base.

    The 2017 edition includes such new features as:

    • An expanded section on macro-trends like the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities and Big Data.
    • Segment-specific user perspectives, with an emphasis on the increasingly stringent demands of today’s GNSS users.
    • The unique added-value that European GNSS (EGNOS and Galileo) brings to each segment and how Galileo is already enhancing the functioning of many applications.
    • A special feature on the important role that GNSS plays in the growing market of drones (i.e., UAVs/Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems).

    The full 100-page report is available for download free of charge.

    Methodology

    The GSA GNSS Market Report is compiled by the GSA and the European Commission and was produced using the GSA’s systematic Marketing Monitoring and Forecasting Process.

    The underlying market model uses advanced forecasting techniques applied to a wide range of input data, assumptions, and scenarios to forecast the size of the GNSS market in terms of shipments, revenue, and installed base of receivers.

    Historical values are anchored to actual data in order to ensure a high level of accuracy. Assumptions are confronted with expert opinions in each market segment and application and model results are cross-checked against the most recent market research reports from independent sources before being validated through an iterative consultation process involving pertinent sector experts and stakeholders.

  • AGCO expands service offerings for guidance systems with NovAtel, TerraStar

    AGCO Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment solutions, is expanding its automatic guidance product offering to enable its customers using AGCO Auto-Guide and VarioGuide customers with NovAtel SMART6-L receivers to acquire TerraStar satellite correction signals for enhanced positioning performance.

    The TerraStar-C and TerraStar-L correction services are subscription-based services that are delivered over satellite, utilizing a system of more than 80 GNSS reference stations to provide consistent accuracy worldwide. These correction services will maximize uptime and productivity by providing fast initialization to a reliable position, and instant re-convergence when the signal is lost. Providing decimeter accuracy levels through TerraStar-C of 5cm and submeter accuracy levels through TerraStar-L of 15cm pass to pass, customers can select the most appropriate service based on their specific growing operations.

    AGCO’s partnership with NovAtel is a product of Fuse and its open approach to precision agriculture. Fuse focuses on helping customers optimize their farms through seamless technology integration and connectivity. TerraStar-L and TerraStar-C subscriptions will be available this summer through AGCO dealers.