Seegrid Corp. yesterday announced that its Palion Lift mobile robot is equipped with its latest Seegrid IQ autonomy technology. The Pittsburgh-based company noted that its 2020 acquisition of Box Robotics aided development of Seegrid IQ.
The company added that not only does its new lift truck use Seegrid IQ for 3D perception, but all of its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) use Seegrid IQ for 3D perception for greater productivity and flexibility in supply chains.
In June, Seegrid began offering its vision-guided systems in a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model. It also recently updated its Smart Path guidance system in Series 8 of its Palion Tow Tractor.
Jeff Christensen, vice president of product at Seegrid, replied to the following questions from Robotics 24/7 about Seegrid IQ and the Palion Lift, which is available through the Seegrid Technology Early Access Program:
What elements of Box Robotics' technology are in the latest generation of the Seegrid IQ technology?
Christensen: Seegrid’s acquisition of Box Robotics added the 3D situational awareness capabilities, a key component of the company’s next-generation Seegrid IQ technology.
All Seegrid AMRs have Seegrid IQ, leveraging sensor fusion to give the robots an extremely accurate understanding of their immediate surroundings, creating a human-like understanding of the world that enables greater efficiency and productivity.
The latest generation of Seegrid IQ used in Palion Lift includes additional safety sensing capabilities needed for safely carrying out pallet manipulation tasks throughout a facility.
How does the 3D perception compare with the Palion's previous performance?
Christensen: The Seegrid Palion Lift features the most advanced generation of Seegrid IQ, fusing data from cameras, lidar, and machine learning models with the company’s proprietary 3D computer vision technology to provide safe and reliable material handling.
All Seegrid AMRs use sophisticated computation to see a three-dimensional world just like humans do. Palion Lift needs to not only navigate its environment, but also interface with the surrounding infrastructure—pallets, tables, conveyors, racks, etc.—in the vertical direction, requiring a more robust perception and safety system.
This 3D perception is based on decades of innovation and enables Seegrid to deliver AMRs with the unmatched ability to see, understand, and learn, performing and reporting on tasks safely and productively for millions of autonomous miles.
With the improved perception, how will customers benefit from greater throughput while maintaining safety?
Christensen: The Seegrid Palion Lift AMR provides safe and reliable end-to-end task automation of low-lift processes for continuous workflow in highly dynamic industrial environments.
Palion Lift can adapt and continue to operate, autonomously picking and transporting payloads up to 3,500 lb. [1,587.5 kg.] and securely placing them at heights of up to 6 ft. [1.8 m].
With advanced Smart Path sensing capabilities and 360-degree safety coverage, the Palion Lift AMR excels in complex environments, accommodating variables—such as obstacles, misaligned pallets, or people—within facilities for consistent and secure material movement.
Palion Lift enables customers to keep up with demand and deliver goods from different points, even at height, without human intervention, mitigating labor shortages. It also easily integrates into existing workflows and is easily scalable across multiple facilities.
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