Maintaining an accurate warehouse inventory can be a very tedious process. Attempts to automate the workflow face a number of challenges such as fast turn around and lack of survey control.
It looks like Exyn Technologies which emerged from the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Labs has commercialized groundbreaking research to build its proprietary AI software, exynAI™, technology from the ground-up. Today, Exyn Technologies provides leading AI software and A3R hardware, which together form its fully autonomous aerial robot that safely executes complex missions in high-value commercial operations, like warehouses.
Velodyne LiDAR’s VLP-16 Puck LITE LiDAR sensors are also part of the solution. It is now integrated into Exyn Technologies’ Advanced Autonomous Aerial Robots (A3R) and will be flying in large warehouses and distribution centers to autonomously scan and map inventory, helping to increase frequency and accuracy of cycle counts, reduce turn around time and decrease risk to workers.
“Using Velodyne’s VLP-16, Exyn’s A3Rs do not need GPS, beacons or markers,” said Nader Elm, chief executive officer of Exyn Technologies. “This technology is being developed to ease logistical bottlenecks in warehouses, as well as to go into other indoor and GPS-limited environments such as commercial construction sites and first-responder situations. We operate in a full 3D volumetric space and can dynamically plan flight paths in complex, dynamic and cluttered environments.”
The Velodyne VLP-16 is the primary sensor for simultaneous localization and mapping, as well as part of the sense-and-avoid capabilities and state estimation. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) robot scans in all fields of view, reading barcodes and RFID beacons, judging location and numbers of stock. The vehicle can even note worker positions and react accordingly in real-time.
