InDro explores USV marine sector – and speaks with a PhD researcher on their work

InDro explores USV marine sector – and speaks with a PhD researcher on their work

Nov 13, 2024 | Engineering, Industry News, Marine USVs, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

At InDro Robotics, there’s nothing we love more than research and development.

That shouldn’t be a surprise, because that’s how the company was built. From our early work building and modifying Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for clients and service provision through to a wide variety of Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGVs) we have invented or customised for customers, R&D has always been the heart and soul of InDro. That’s why we have a large and continually scaling team at our Area X.O operations in Ottawa.

We’ve previously done work on the marine side of things and have built and tested Uncrewed Surface Vehicles. Our ‘Talos” USV was remotely piloted and carried a sonar that was deployed via winch. We successfully deployed that on multiple missions, mapping lakebeds and vegetation. Its capabilities were excellent, but our priorities shifted to the aerial and ground side of robotics due to client demands. But we’ve always kept a close eye on marine robotics developments, particularly when it comes to R&D.

There are some really exciting companies in this space in Canada, including Open Ocean Robotics. We are very impressed with its DataXplorer, a solar-powered and self-righting autonomous vehicle suited for long-range data acquisition in the open ocean. It’s a brilliant design, and Co-Founder and CEO Julie Angus is a very impressive individual. With an MSc in Molecular Biology, she’s both a serial entrepreneur and was the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland. She’s a director on NATO’s Maritime Unmanned System Initiative Innovation Advisory board and was honoured with National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year award for her trans-Atlantic achievement. Like we said, impressive.

Another company that has caught our attention at conferences is Deep Trekker. It has a solid lineup of ROVs, and we were able to operate its smallest offering at a couple of different trade shows. Recently, it launched an Uncrewed Ground Vehicle that is also submersible. We can see a wide variety of use-cases.

Below: An Open Ocean Robotics video shows off DataXplorer, followed by the InDro Robotics Talos

InDro Robotics Talos

THE R&D FACTOR

 

Of course, companies can’t create products like these without a significant investment in research and development. This is something we truly understand.

We also know that many innovations have their genesis in a lot of hard work from graduate students and those holding PhDs, who often put in untold hours on projects that can lead to commercial breakthroughs. So we thought it would be enlightening to spend some time talking to one of those people.

We sat down for a chat recently with Thomas Sears, a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering with Queen’s University’s Offroad Robotics and Ingenuity Labs Research Institute. He holds a Master of Applied Science in Aerospace Engineering and is a Professional Engineer.

And he’s really, really interested in boats and waves. Specifically, working with USVs to learn more about predicting wave patterns and – ultimately – creating algorithms so that autonomous or pilot-assist systems can anticipate what waves might be coming and how best to orient a boat depending on what those waves are likely to do and the desired outcome.

Sears is a really good explainer. And he started the conversation by talking about humans anticipate and react to waves when they are in the water.

 

HOW PEOPLE REACT

 

“As humans when we go to the beach, we can kind of intuitively feel the waves coming and we know, OK, it’s probably four more seconds for another wave,” he says. “How do we give the boat that intuition to know: If I felt a wave here, if I move forward three meters, I’m probably going to feel in four seconds that wave is going to hit me from the side.”

That takes a lot of math, plus a bunch of sensors. But to what end? Is it simply to help ensure a boat might not capsize in rough water?

Well, explains Sears, there are a wide variety of use-case scenarios. Understanding waves, being able to predict them, could for example be of great use to Kingston colleagues who are coastal engineers and study the impact of waves on the coastal environment. A deep understanding of the math and physics involved could be highly useful in predictive models. What’s going to happen to this coastline over time? During a powerful storm?

But there are many other applications. Returning to the human example, Sears points out when a wave is approaching, a human being carries out their own calculations and braces themselves for impact.

“I’d like the boat to be able to do the same thing. If the boat can be out in the water and it can start to notice this trend, whatever the trend is, maybe I can then take an action on that trend,” he says before outlining multiple options for how a boat might respond:

“‘Aha, I’m about to get pushed by the wave.’ Maybe I’d like to surf the wave. Maybe I’d like to push against the wave. Maybe I’d like to turn so I’m safer, whatever that is. That’s sort of for the next person to work on.”

But the work being carried out by Sears will lay the foundation for that next step. He can see, even with an identical set of waves, there might be different optimal autonomous responses depending on the scenario.

“We could see this getting scaled up to crewed vessels…The boat could essentially say: ‘OK, well, we’re worried about passenger comfort.’ Or ‘We’re worried about fuel efficiency’, whatever it (the use-case) is. I’d like to just dial in that option and then the boat can start to go: ‘OK, well, given these wave conditions, here’s how we might want to act.'”

But to get there, you need research, data and predictive models.

“Without the ability to make those predictions of the waves, we have no information to act on. We would just be acting reactively. So we would just say: ‘Oh, I just got hit by a wave, do something quickly’.”

In other words, the boat has to understand what’s coming. And here, things get even more complicated. A boat doesn’t respond immediately to inputs the way an electric car does.

“When you start energizing the motors, it doesn’t move instantly. It starts churning water before something happens. Boats have a bit of a spin-up.”

So that, too, has to be factored into the equation(s) – and would have to be factored into future algorithms suited to specific boats.

“It’s the opportunity to look not just forward in time, but look around the boat for maybe a nicer spot to sit; to let me take an action before the motors are ready to go. So I can I can sort of pre-empt things, which is a sort of a superpower that I’d like to give these boats.”

Below: Thomas Sears with the USV, followed by the USV on a calm day (photos courtesy of Offroad Robotics). YouTube video shows Sears explaining his research

Kingston University Thomas Sears USV
Kingston University Thomas Sears USV

A CUSTOM USV

 

This is the perfect kind of research for an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle. But to get the right USV took a lot of work from Sears and his team.

They initially were looking for an off-the-shelf USV that would come with most of what they needed. And those needs included the Robot Operating System (ROS) software. They had plans to purchase something from a Canadian robotics company, but it had just ended production on its USV. So they were left with simply finding a base platform and doing all the modifications themselves. Researchers often prefer to put their time into algorithms and R&D rather than building and integration, but that was the option they were left with. Thankfully, with his background in Electrical Engineering this was a task Sears was capable of carrying out.

“The boat that we purchased was not designed for robotics research,” he says. “We had to take on a lot of the non-recurring engineering work of turning it into a research vessel. I’ve been involved in everything from the algorithms that are running on board to picking the computer that is running those algorithms. I happen to come from a background where that’s a comfortable thing for me.”

Doing that work, says Sears, was a “considerable time-sink” – but having a ROS-based platform was critical to the research. They not surprisingly went with ROS 2, the latest iteration of the Robot Operating System. The team actually wrote the interface software themselves, and released it on GitHub.

Then there was the sensor integration: The hardware, the wiring, the software. Plus, of course, making everything waterproof. There was a high performance Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a 16-beam Velodyne LiDAR. It was only when the USV was dispatched that they discovered the LiDAR beams were absorbed by the water. It was, he says, a “weird” thing.

“So unlike our our ground vehicles, where we see the ground, we see the floor, the boat is just floating in nothingness. But the really cool thing is we can leverage that because now if we see something, we know it’s not water. We just see objects – so we don’t have to worry about segmenting out ground and objects.”

That has been particularly useful in research by others using the same USV that involves identifying the coastline. The USV also carries a dual-antenna RTK-enabled GPS receiver.

“That’s critical on a USV platform because you can move sideways on a boat, if the water pushes you sideways, you can move sideways,” he says. “And that fuses with the gyroscope and with the accelerometers on board to give us a really good position measurement.”

For the data to be useful. Sears has to know precisely where the USV is at any given moment – both in terms of its absolute position and its position relative to the waves. There’s also a sonar unit, which is of great use to researchers on the civil engineering side of things. There’s also a camera on board, though Sears laughs that watching its feed is “nausea-inducing.”)

With Queen’s University’s proximity to Lake Ontario, Sears and others can literally launch the USV in about 20 minutes. They also do research inside a wave tank at Queen’s.

 

THE BIGGER PICTURE

 

As mentioned, other researchers at the university also capture and analyze data from the USV. All of them have a deep appreciation for the importance of Lake Ontario – and not just as a shipping corridor.

“Lake Ontario is full of life. It’s our source of water for drinking and agriculture, so it needs to be monitored and protected,” says Sears. “Having these water drones watching the lake on our behalf is going to help us ensure that the lake stays healthy, that we stay healthy, that wildlife stays healthy.

“We‘re working toward monitoring this very large space uninhabited by humans that we take for granted in daily life.”

Below: Queen’s University researchers look at data being collected by the USV

 
Kingston University Thomas Sears USV

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Marine robotics are kind of the third leg when it comes to uncrewed vehicles. And, given our reliance on water, a very important one. Our initial vision for InDro Robotics was that we would develop products for all three realms – and we’re still quite proud of our Talos USV.

But during the company’s initial growth we made the decision to put our energy into UAV innovations such as remote teleoperations, deliveries, enhanced service provision and more. (InDro was the first company in Canada to operate UAVs over 4G and 4G, and was the first to obtain a cargo license for drones from the Canadian Transportation Agency, among other firsts). This decision was largely driven by customer demand at the time, as well as our then-startup status.

InDro has now scaled sufficiently that we are once again exploring the marine sector.

“We will have some ROS-based offerings soon that we can customize to enable R&D researchers and commercial clients to carry out complex data acquisition in a marine environment,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “We’re testing the waters, so to speak, but are optimistic this could be the  next sector for our engineers to tackle.”

Already, we have some platforms available that can be used for cleaning surface garbage and cutting aquatic vegetation that’s impinging on the surface. But, like all of InDro’s offerings, these can be customized with additional sensors and teleoperation capabilities based on client needs.

“We have had a mandate since Day One that we want to be experts in unmanned systems,” says Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth. “To date, that’s really meant just UAVs and ground robots. But ultimately, we want to be experts on land, air and water. This is our first move into water, and I’m incredibly excited.”

We all are. If you’re interested in our offerings, contact us to learn more.

Feature image at top of story shows the DataXplorer in action; photo courtesy of Open Ocean Robotics

NAV CANADA says enhanced capabilities coming to NAV Drone app

NAV CANADA says enhanced capabilities coming to NAV Drone app

Nov 11, 2024 | Aerial Evolution Association of Canada, Industry News, NAV CANADA, NAV DRONE, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

If you’re an RPAS pilot in Canada, you’re likely using NAV Drone (and if you’re not, you should be).

The mobile and web app from NAV Canada is the app to ensure your mission is approved. As the NAV CANADA website explains: “NAV Drone is the only app that lets you safely and legally request permission to fly a drone in airspace controlled by NAV CANADA. From the web or a mobile device, professional and recreational drone pilots and operators can easily see where they can and cannot fly with interactive maps and, when needed, submit requests to fly in controlled airspace.”

It’s a snap to use. The app lets you know where you can fly – and where you can’t – and could save you from both dangerous operations and potential fines. The app also notifies you if there are other drone operations underway in the vicinity of your operations, which is really useful for situational awareness.

Last week, at the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada‘s annual conference and exhibition, NAV CANADA offered an update on usage stats for the app – and revealed there are more enhancements on the horizon.

Below: Screengrabs from the NAV Drone mobile app, followed by a NAV CANADA explainer video

NAV Drone
NAV Drone

BY THE NUMBERS

 

NAV Drone has been operational now for several years. There was a lot of buzz in the industry when it was first released, but what has that translated to in terms of actual use? Here, NAV CANADA offered some numbers – which indicate the app has been widely embraced across the sector.

In 2024, NAV Drone had processed 53,000 permission requests as of early November, a growth rate of 26 per cent over the previous year. By automating this process – and avoiding manual approval (30 minutes per request at $130/hour), NAV CANADA says the app has saved more than $6.5M in Air Traffic Service (ATS) costs. What’s more, users seem to really like the app; it has excellent ratings on the App Store and Google Play.

And, of course, NAV Drone has greatly enhanced safety (and provided a huge amount of data) for NAV CANADA, the country’s privately run non-profit corporation that operates our civil air navigation system.

“Safety is the key reason it’s there. It’s all about keeping the airspace safe,” explained Alan Chapman, NAV CANADA’s director of RPAS Traffic Management.

As we head toward increased RPAS traffic, including regulations that will permit low-risk Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights in 2025, NAV CANADA has bold plans to enhance the offerings of the NAV Drone app. And that’s good news for both RPAS operators and also those operating traditional crewed aviation.

“Some big changes are coming to NAV Drone in 2025,” said Stewart Paveling, Product Family Leader, RPAS Traffic Management NAV CANADA during a panel discussion.

That includes a number of additional features to the app, including greater capabilities with RPAS Traffic Management (RTM), low-risk BVLOS and EVLOS flight approvals – Including the ability to record flights undertaken with a Special Flight Operations Certificate through the app.

These are big changes, indicative of recognition this industry will continue to grow as well as NAV CANADA’s desire to safely help the industry expand as we head, ultimately, into the era of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

“NAV CANADA’s strategic direction positions us to take a leadership role to effect change across the air navigation system,” read a slide during its presentation. “To unlock not just our own potential, but also the potential of the industry to be more effective, more efficient, and more environmentally sustainable going forward.”

To further emphasise that, the slide continued – including the bold in the following paragraph:

“RTM facilitates the safe integration of RPAS, in a highly automated way, enabling growth of operations and expansion of use cases to capture the potential aviation and societal benefits.”

That was followed by a high-level road map indicating priorities for the coming years.

NAV CANADA Nav Drone

NEXT STEPS

 

Following the slides, there was a panel discussion about future plans, along with other suggestions on ways to improve the existing app. In addition to Alan Chapman and Stewart Aveling, the panel included Joanne Moon (Manager of RPAS Operations, NAV CANADA), Anne Sophie Ripple-Bouvier (Flight Safety Officer, Aerial Evolution Association of Canada) and Brian Fentiman (Project Manager, InDro Robotics/CEO BlueForce UAV Consulting, Inc.).

As the slide above notes, NAV Drone will keep pace with Transport Canada regulations – including the much anticipated changes that will allow low-risk BVLOS flights in 2025. The emphasis here is on pushing the envelope with a highly automated RTM system “to support safe, efficient and scalable BVLOS operations.”

For years, the sector has been eager to enable BVLOS flight without the need for a time-consuming Special Flight Operations Certificate. This obviously opens the door to a broad range of use-case scenarios, ranging from monitoring long-range assets like railroad tracks and pipelines through to large-scale mapping and other data acquisition.

For those operations that will still require an SFOC, NAV Canada revealed that the capability will be in place to allow flights to be recorded in the app. Though that will simplify the process of recording for operators, NAV Canada will not approve SFOCs; these applications will still be reviewed by Transport Canada, which is responsible for approving SFOCs.

Later this year, Paveling added, there will be new map layers for restricted airspace. NAV Canada is also planning to improve the flight clipboard that comes with the system, redesigning it and making it easier to read. There will also be changes to the web-based support site, including a move away from PDF manuals “with better content that’s easier to consume and search.”

Outside of the app, NAV Canada said it is working to beef up its ability to detect drone incursions.

“We see reports of RPAS in control zones on approach paths,” said Joanne Moon of NAV Canada, adding that the corporation also obtains data from drone detection systems in place at airports. (InDro Robotics is the chief technology partner with the drone detection system at YOW. That data is shared with NAV CANADA and Transport Canada, among others.)

NAV Canada, she said, is looking at strengthening its capabilities and enforcement in this arena.

“(We’ve) Been working with industry partners, looking at things like drone detection, information sharing, emergency response, collaboratiion with airport authorities (as well as) our own air traffic services unit.”

 

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

 

There was also an opportunity during the panel to discuss other improvements that could be made to the NAV Drone app. And here, InDro’s Brian Fentiman offered some suggestions.

“One of the biggest things I find, more as a trainer than an operator, is the weak spot. The weak spot seems to be emergency procedures…With a flyaway, I would much prefer that there’s a single number. I’d like to see that phone number up front so it’s easy for people to find. In controlled airspace, you do get a phone number but it’s buried in a flight report…Sometimes you’ll get that phone number and the tower is not even open during those hours.”

It’s an important point – and one NAV Canada says it’s about to address.

“We are actively working on that right now…for an upcoming change to NAV Drone,” said Moon.

The other point Fentiman raised was with regards to conspicuity – meaning the electronic visibility of a drone within a broader RTM system.

“To enable BVLOS, we need conspicuity…whether it’s from the drone to other (RPAS) traffic or to commercial aviation,” he said.

That is something, said NAV CANADA, that is precisely on its roadmap. And the best way to fully get there, it was suggested, was to ensure that everyone in the industry uses the NAV Drone app.

“The more people who use the tool, the better situational awareness we have,” said Chapman.

Below: Brian Fentiman on the NAV CANADA panel at AEAC2024. Photo by Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

Brian Fentiman AEAC 2024 NAV CANADA

INDRO’S TAKE

 

The annual Aerial Evolution Association of Canada’s conference and exhibit is always a great event – and precisely due to learning opportunities like this one. Conversations with bodies like NAV CANADA and Transport Canada are tremendously important for the growth of the sector.

“We are fortunate in Canada to have a collaborative relationship with NAV CANADA and Transport Canada, as that’s not always the case between the industry and regulators or air traffic systems organizations,” says Philip Reece, Founder and CEO of InDro Robotics.

“We have seen a true evolution over the years in terms of this relationship – and from both sides. There’s a greater recognition now from the industry that safety has to remain paramount if the sector is going to continue its growth trajectory. And we’ve also seen a real willingness from NAV CANADA and Transport Canada to work with RPAS operators to safely continue growth. The NAV Drone app – and how widely it’s now used – is evidence of this collaboration from both sides. We look forward to enhanced capabilities on this already excellent tool.”

Want to learn more about the benefits of membership with the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada? You can find all the details here.

Feature image by Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

Meet InDro’s Engineering Manager Arron Griffiths: Roboticist & Foodie who’s learned from failure

Meet InDro’s Engineering Manager Arron Griffiths: Roboticist & Foodie who’s learned from failure

Nov 1, 2024 | Engineering, InDro News, InDro Profile, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

Looking for some authentic British fish & chips in the Ottawa area?

Well, come next spring there’s going to be a new food truck in town. “Spuds & Stuff” will offer fish & chips, poutine – plus some surprises not yet on the menu. The truck is being outfitted right now (well, not specifically ‘right’ now) and the plan is for it to be ready to go by then. It will also offer gluten-free fish & chips.

But perhaps the biggest surprise of all? The person behind the counter will be our Engineering Manager, Arron Griffiths.

“There’s actually a British Canadian flag on my food truck to symbolise it’s a British guy in Canada with his Canadian wife making, you know, homestyle fish and chips,” he says.

It’s symbolic not only of his love of cooking and food, but also his approach to life: Pursue your dreams, whether that’s robotics, cooking and meeting people – or a balance of both.

“I’m chasing, I’m following my dream, right,” he smiles.

And so he is. Which is also, coincidentally, what brought him to InDro Robotics.

Below: Arron Griffiths, left of centre (and standing next to InDro Robotics Founder/CEO Philip Reece, who’s wearing the jacket) with members of Team InDro at Area X.O

Area XO DARTT

IN THE BLOOD

 

Born and raised in Birmingham, UK, technology is literally in Arron’s genes. Yes, he had an interest in Japanese animé as a child, which sparked his passion for robots. But he grew up in a household (and from a bloodline) of engineers, makers and builders that the family has traced back to 1740 – 20 years before the start of the Industrial Revolution.

Arron’s father was an engineer who brought the internet to major UK companies in the late 1980s and early 90s; Bill Clinton is even said to have sent him an email to mark the accomplishment. So the boy who would eventually become our Engineering Manager grew up in a house that always had the latest computers, was always plugged-in to the cutting-edge. His was the first family to have internet on its street.

But it wasn’t just his father.

“My father is an internet engineer and my grandfather was a welder by trade, and then his father was an engineer and we think his father was an engineer,” says Griffiths. “There’s a lineage on my dad’s side of engineers and skilled trades we believe going all the way back to being tinkerers or something.”

It’s not surprising that Griffiths knew from an early age that he wanted to someday work with robots. Design them, build them – and contribute toward a future where robots might one day perform mundane tasks at scale to give humans extra time to explore more fulfilling and creative tasks; to enjoy life more.

“I knew I wanted to do robots when I got older but everyone laughed at me. I was very much the weird kid in that sense.”

There would be a few bumps along the way. Though doing well in math and physics, Griffiths “meandered” a bit during one year at college in the UK, which he likens to senior high school. He did more than meander: He failed. And so he pivoted and attended a hands-on vocational school, where he learned about electronics and computers in control. He learned to code in C language and more. He was making things.

“I did well at the college because it’s very much what I was really interested in. And then at 19 I went to the University of Plymouth and started my BSc Bachelor of Science in Robotics,” he says.

He thought he had a pretty good grasp on all things technical, and – like many starting out in university – he enjoyed the party life and didn’t yet fully appreciate the commitment a demanding major requires. The result? He would once again fail – this time, during his second year.

“But it was actually a good thing that I kept failing,” he reflects. “I think, in hindsight, I probably thought I knew more than I did.”

 

SOUL SEARCHING

 

After that second failure, Arron knew he needed to be absolutely certain if he were on the correct path. So he took a trip to the US to reflect, traveling and exploring the east coast for a little over a month.

“And I was trying to find out if I really wanted to do this, if I really wanted to be a robotics engineer, if I had the skill set. Did I really want to do this?” he recalls.

Thankfully for InDro, he did. Arron returned to the UK and completed his degree in 2008 – not exactly the best year to go job-searching. With the help of his mother he stayed on at Plymouth University and completed his Masters degree. He also became deeply involved in the university’s robotic soccer team. In fact, his thesis was about building a robot goaltender.

“And my dissertation was you can never lose a football match if you never let a goal in – you can only ever draw or win. And then essentially I was like: So I’ve got to develop a goalkeeper that never lets a goal in, right?”

His work led him to be hired by the University after graduation to keep on working with the robot football team and be a teaching assistant in the lecture halls. That 1.5-year contract was extended another year, and soon Griffiths was traveling extensively.

“I went to Germany, Korea, Taiwan doing the competitions for this team. I learned a lot about bipedal robots and vision systems and autonomy and localizing. I was still learning – so it was almost like getting another degree.”

Exciting though that was, Griffiths knew he didn’t want to spend his career inside an institution. In some ways, being back in the lecture halls – even if he was the one giving the lecture – felt like still being trapped in school. He wanted more. And so he left Plymouth University and, briefly, found himself unemployed.

“If you’re listening, I fail a lot, right?” he laughs, “I fail and then I pick myself up.”

Below: Arron’s robotic goaltender and action. Like its creator, it too fails on occasion – but is a great example of his early work with machine vision and AI. (Side note: the CBC later did a feature on the University of Plymouth’s robotic football team.)

CUMBRIA TO CANADA

 

Determined to not only remain in robotics but find new challenges, he landed a job at the University of Manchester designing and building robots to be used in nuclear facilities, including submersible robots that could carry out fuel-rod inspections. The work took him to a remote location next to Scotland in Cumbria, because that’s where the nuclear facility was. It was there he was faced with the challenge of taking some strangers with high-level skillsets and building not only robots – but a team. It was called the RAIN Hub, where RAIN stands for Robotics and AI in Nuclear.

Arron’s big project there was to design and build a ground vehicle that could autonomously explore massive nuclear facilities and map any radiation contamination: A task that perfectly fits the Dirty Dull and Dangerous. Arron built the Carma for the task, using a Clearpath platform as the base. It also got him interested in the company. (Quick aside: He would also meet his future wife while working in that lonely outpost.)

He had a friend and supporter who worked at Clearpath and who put in a good word when a posting for Applications Engineer came up. Arron applied and received an offer – but there was a catch. The offer had an expiry date to accept, and Arron was still waiting for his visa to be able to work in Canada. It wasn’t clear if the visa would be in place in time to accept the offer.

It was close. With two weeks remaining, he got the paperwork – and prepared to scramble. He had about 10 days to pack up, sell whatever he could, and move to Waterloo.

Though heading to Clearpath, he was getting closer to InDro.

Below: the Carma in action.

CLEARPATH, COVID, CITIZENSHIP

 

In March of 2019, Griffiths arrived and, after finding his feet in Waterloo, started working at Clearpath. As Senior Applications Engineer, there was a lot of “client-facing” engineering.

“I would negotiate essentially what we would deliver and what they would get by when, because people have very grandiose ideas about robots about what they expect robots to be capable of doing. Sometimes I had to readjust those expectations by saying: ‘Do you have one million dollars?'” he laughs. “That’s also where I met Peter.” (He’s referring here to InDro Vice President Peter King.)

Arron’s second year at Clearpath was during COVID lockdowns, and he spent much of the year working from home. He was also reflecting on whether being a Senior Applications Engineer was the right job for him. That’s when Peter (by this point at InDro) called him up and asked Arron if he might be interested in a more senior position with a newer robotics company.

And that…is how Arron came to Area X.O.– where he’ll mark his fourth anniversary early next year, along with an impressive number of successful milestones.

Griffiths has overseen both the design and build of many projects (including a highly complex design and build for one of the world’s largest technology companies) – and scaled a very small engineering team to a large one. It’s been an utter transformation for InDro…and for Arron.

“When I first started, although I was Engineering Manager by title, I wasn’t by practice. I was very much the senior engineer doing operations and engineering. But in the last two years I very much feel like the Engineering Manager. I have a team of people that I delegate to. I do the tasking and the timing and the synching.”

He’s also shown an extraordinary talent in selecting people who gel in a collaborative team setting – and striking the perfect balance between hard work at the office and team celebrations like meals out, bowling, miniature golf. Striking that balance between being a manager and being a colleague/friend is like “walking a tightrope,” he says.

“When you’re celebrating people and the InDro accomplishments they’ve made, I’m very happy and jolly. But when you’re asking someone to get something done, you’re pretty dry and straightforward, right? That gives them an indication that this is not me as Aaron asking you, this is me as Engineering Manager saying, ‘Hey, these are the tasks we need to get done.’ So my mannerisms are different – I’m very matter-of-fact when I’m the boss and a bit more casual and emoji happy when I’m being me.”

 

OUTSIDE INDRO

 

Remember the Canadian woman he met while up doing that nuclear robotics work? Well, physicist Marisa Smith and Griffiths continued to make it work – even when she was living in the US and he was at Clearpath. Every two weeks, Arron would pack up and drive eight hours to and back from South Bend, Indiana, to see her.

They married during COVID – and would hold a more public ceremony where others could help celebrate in Jamaica in February of 2023. Both cat lovers, Arron says “Marisa is the smart one in the house.” He applied for Canadian citizenship and, earlier this year in an online ceremony, took his pledge.

“I did it because I wanted to be a Canadian – I wanted to feel like I belonged. I didn’t want to be a foreigner anymore,” he says. “I wanted to be part of the country.”

We are grateful he is. And we look forward to trying out his food truck (yes, that really is a thing) this coming spring.

If it’s as good as his robots and work ethic – and we’re confident it will be – there should be no shortage of customers.

Below: The day Arron received his Canadian citizenship in a virtual ceremony (note the elaborate pathways for cats on the walls – he and his wife are cat people). Image two: A celebratory graphic, created and posted internally. Image three: The food truck! Image four: Griffiths and his wife, physicist Marisa Smith (whom Arron refers to as “the smart one in the house”).

Arron Citizenship
Arron Citizenship
Arron food truck
Arron and Marisa Smith

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have an engineering manager both as capable and as personable as Arron. He has contributed hugely to the growth and success of our Area X.O team, overseeing complex projects on tight deadlines while always ensuring he’s celebrating the accomplishments of others. He has created a special “InDro Kudos” chat channel, where every week he praises employees who have excelled at specific tasks.

“Arron is not only an outstanding engineer and roboticist – he’s also a tremendous manager and team leader,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “He is constantly mentoring others, sharing any and all skills to help move the company as a whole forward. I look forward to trying his fish & chips – and wonder how long it will be before he integrates a robotic arm in his operations.”

Vice President Peter King concurs.

“It was really fortuitous for the future of InDro Robotics that Arron and I met at Clearpath,” he says. “The intelligence, energy and enthusiasm that Arron brings to the job are incredible – and he’s behind so many of the InDro successes of the past several years. He’s the perfect person in the perfect position; an exact fit.”

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Griffiths. If you enjoyed this story, you might like this profile of two Area X.O employees who began their journey in India.

And, yes, we’ll tell you when his truck is ready.

Feature image at top of story by Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

InDro Robotics, Cypher Robotics attend high-level trade meetings in Dubai

InDro Robotics, Cypher Robotics attend high-level trade meetings in Dubai

Oct 24, 2024 | Captis, Cypher Robotics, GITEX GLOBAL 2024, InDro News, Scott Simmie, Sentinel

By Scott Simmie

 

As you might recall from this post, Cypher Robotics and its Captis cycle-counting/inventory management solution recently attended the huge GITEX GLOBAL 2024 event in Dubai. It’s the world’s largest technology and AI exhibition, with some 200,000 attendees. It was a *huge* show.

But a lot of the work – and the opportunities – for both Cypher Robotics and InDro Robotics (which incubated Cypher and has a technology agreement with the company) took place away from the show floor. Cypher Robotics CEO and InDro Vice President Peter King spent much of his time in high-level meetings with executives from five of the largest companies in the United Arab Emirates.

“These were C-suite level meetings, where we were able to learn more about what these companies do – and discuss how both InDro and Cypher can offer solutions that could benefit them,” says King.

These aren’t companies where you can simply call and ask for a meeting with high-level executives. There needs to be a catalyst to facilitate such discussions.

And there was: The Government of Canada; specifically, the Canadian Consulate in Dubai.

Below: Cypher Robotics CEO Peter King (second from right) on the floor at GITEX GLOBAL 2024. Much of his time was spent off the floor, meeting with executives from the largest companies in the UAE

Cypher Robotics Peter King Captis GITEX

TRADE MISSION

 

Among the many responsibilities of the Federal Government is promoting trade between Canadian firms and international clients. Sometimes, there are large “Team Canada Trade Missions” which are led by a Minister and often covered by media. With these missions, there’s a specific push on the Indo-Pacific region. On other occasions, however, the government pulls together smaller groups with a very specific focus. Months before GITEX GLOBAL 2024 was to take the world stage, planning began for a mission in Dubai that would take place the same week.

Government officials identified five Canadian firms in the Canadian high-tech sector it felt might be a fit for the UAE market. InDro Robotics was invited to participate – and was the only company among those five from the robotics sector.

“They identified that our solutions could be highlighted in Dubai – not only for trade reasons, but also to help solve some really hard problems,” says Peter King. “We were obviously really pleased to be one of a small handful of technology companies to be on the federal government’s radar.”

Canada’s Consul General in Dubai, H.E. Tracy Reynolds, was at the helm of this program and coordinated a series of meetings with “the UAE’s most influential business and technology leaders,” reads a Government of Canada document outlining the program.

“Consul General Reynolds will lead a two-day outreach program that will allow selected Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) clients to pitch their products and solutions to Dubai’s conglomerates, which are considered to be major buyers of ICT products and solutions. The meetings will also allow the delegation to learn about the latest technologies being adopted by these organizations,” it adds.

 

WHY UAE?

 

Though historically an oil-driven economy, the United Arab Emirates has diversified greatly in recent years. It has evolved, according to the CIA’s World FactBook, “into a trade-oriented logistics and supply chain leader (with) strong foreign direct investment orientation; building trade and investment ties through partnership agreements…” The UAE Gross Domestic Product is the fourth highest in the Middle East (after Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel), with an estimated USD 719.733 billion GDP in 2023.

In Dubai, the skyline has been utterly transformed over the past few decades. It’s home to the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and other ultra-modern architecture. Known also for its luxury shopping and high-end autos, Dubai has also embraced technology in recent years. In fact, the local police count Tesla Cybertrucks among their fleet.

Dubai has never been as dependent on oil as the other six Emirates that comprise the UAE – and Dubai has led the way in the UAE in terms of economic diversification. According to Wikipedia, “Oil production, which once accounted for 50% of Dubai’s gross domestic product, contributes less than 1% today. In 2018, wholesale and retail trade represented 26% of the total GDP; transport and logistics, 12%; banking, insurance activities and capital markets, 10%; manufacturing, 9%; real estate, 7%; construction, 6%; tourism, 5%. The International Herald Tribune described it as ‘centrally-planned free-market capitalism’.”

In other words, Dubai – and the wider UAE – are a significant and growing global marketplace.

Below: The Dubai Skyline at night. Photo by Ivan Siarbolin – https://www.pexels.com/photo/city-skyline-during-night-time-3787839/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95959711

TRADE MISSION</p> <p>Among the many responsibilities of the Federal Government is promoting trade between Canadian firms and international clients. Sometimes, there are large "Team Canada Trade Missions" which are led by a Minister and often covered by media. With these missions, there's a specific push on the Indo-Pacific region. On other occasions, however, the government pulls together smaller groups with a very specific focus. Months before GITEX GLOBAL 2024 was to take the world stage, planning began for a mission in Dubai that would take place the same week.</p> <p>Government officials identified five Canadian firms in the Canadian high-tech sector it felt might be a fit for the UAE market. InDro Robotics was invited to participate – and was the only company among those five from the robotics sector.</p> <p>"They identified that our solutions could be highlighted in Dubai – not only for trade reasons, but also to help solve some really hard problems," says Peter King. "We were obviously really pleased to be one of a small handful of technology companies to be on the federal government's radar."</p> <p>Canada's Consul General in Dubai, H.E. Tracy Reynolds, was at the helm of this program and coordinated a series of meetings with "the UAE's most influential business and technology leaders," reads a Government of Canada document outlining the program.</p> <p>"Consul General Reynolds will lead a two-day outreach program that will allow selected Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) clients to pitch their products and solutions to Dubai's conglomerates, which are considered to be major buyers of ICT products and solutions. The meetings will also allow the delegation to learn about the latest technologies being adopted by these organizations," it adds.</p> <p>WHY UAE?</p> <p>Though historically an oil-driven economy, the United Arab Emirates has diversified greatly in recent years. It has become, according to the CIA's World FactBook, "into a trade-oriented logistics and supply chain leader (with) strong foreign direct investment orientation; building trade and investment ties through partnership agreements..." The UAE Gross Domestic Product the fourth highest in the Middle East (after Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel), with an estimated $719.733 USD GDP in 2023.</p> <p>In Dubai, the skyline has been utterly transformed over the past couple of decades. It's home to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and other ultra-modern architecture. Known also for its luxury shopping and high-end autos, Dubai has also embraced technology in recent years. In fact, the local police count Tesla Cybertrucks among their fleet.</p> <p>Dubai has never been as dependent on oil as the other six Emirates that comprise the UAE – and Dubai has led the way in the UAE in terms of economic diversification. According to Wikipedia, "Oil production, which once accounted for 50% of Dubai's gross domestic product, contributes less than 1% today. In 2018, wholesale and retail trade represented 26% of the total GDP; transport and logistics, 12%; banking, insurance activities and capital markets, 10%; manufacturing, 9%; real estate, 7%; construction, 6%; tourism, 5%. The International Herald Tribune described it as 'centrally-planned free-market capitalism'."</p> <p>In other words, Dubai – and the wider UAE – are a significant and growing global marketplace.</p> <p>Below: The Dubai Skyline at night. Photo by Ivan Siarbolin - https://www.pexels.com/photo/city-skyline-during-night-time-3787839/, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95959711

HIGH-LEVEL AGENDA

 

With that context, it’s clear why the Canadian Consulate in Dubai sees opportunity. Being on the ground, Canadian Consul General Tracy Reynolds, Deputy Consul General Anthony Finch and Trade Commissioner Arun Basandai have an insider’s vantage point into the key economic players in Dubai and the UAE. And so, over the course of two days, they accompanied representatives of the five invited Canadian companies to five different high-level meetings.

The first was with one of the largest real estate developers in the entire UAE. Remember the earlier reference to the Burj Khalifa? This company owns it. In addition to real estate, its diverse portfolio includes retail, hospitality, and leisure. The firm’s Executive Director and its Head of Information Technology attended the meeting.

We don’t want to get into the details, but it was an excellent discussion – which included how solutions from both InDro Robotics and Cypher Robotics might be useful to that firm. 

From there, it was off to a massive global investment company that has been a major driver of Dubai’s spectacular growth. It’s involved with 10 sectors, including real estate, hospitality, leisure & entertainment, media, ICT, design, education, retail, manufacturing, and logistics and science. It owns hotels, parks, resorts, a huge arena, multiple large retail outlets – and is also involved in multiple projects to accelerate Dubai into a fully Smart City. There were fruitful discussions there as well.

Meeting three was with one of the largest retailers in Dubai and the entire UAE with an emphasis on the fashion and lifestyle industry. On the food and beverage side, it runs multiple name brand franchises throughout the UAE and is the distributor/retailer of major fashion brands. It’s a huge company with a massive rolling inventory across several sectors. As with the previous meetings, all five Canadian technology companies had a chance to discuss their offerings.

 

AND THERE WAS MORE…

 

Once again, it was C-suite meetings with the full support of senior Consulate staff. The group met with the CEO and Chief Strategy and Technology Officer (CSTO) of the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure company across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It owns and operates 27 major shopping malls, multiple hotels, cinemas, etc. and has assets in excess of USD 18 billion and 44,000 employees.

The final meeting was with “a multinational retail franchise operator of 70 brands in 20 countries.” Those brands include Starbucks, Chipotle and Cheesecake Factory. The company runs hotels and major retail outlets with names you’d recognize. The company’s Chief Strategy and Digital Officer attended this meeting, and was able to learn about solutions offered by all five Canadian technology companies.

“These meetings were a tremendous opportunity to learn not only about what these leading UAE companies do, but also explore some of the challenges they face with operations at that scale,” says King. “There was significant interest in solutions from both InDro and Cypher – and I’m confident these were just the first of many conversations to come.”

Below: The Cypher Robotics cycle-counting and RFID scanning Captis, which can operate autonomously for five hours and also capture precision digital twins. Below that is the InDro Robotics Sentinel, designed for remote asset inspection, security and surveillance and digital twins

Cypher Robotics Captis
Sentinel

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We are pleased to have been selected to take part in this trade mission in the United Arab Emirates – and are exceedingly grateful to the senior staff at the Canadian Consul General in Dubai. These were exceptional meetings and, potentially, the beginning of new business relationships.

“These meetings were a significant step along Cypher’s long-term roadmap, which includes markets beyond North America,” says King. “Every business relationship begins with a discussion, and these were very productive introductory meetings for all of the Canadian firms on this trip. I’d like to extend our deepest thanks for Consul General Tracy Reynolds, Trade Commissioner Arun Basandani and Deputy Consul General Anthony Finch.”

InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece is also pleased.

“These meetings were a remarkable opportunity for not only InDro and Cypher, but for four other innovative Canadian tech companies,” he says. “The Government of Canada recognizes the global shift toward Industry 4.0 and the role Canadian technology companies can play in that. We are pleased that InDro had this opportunity and extend our thanks to all those involved.”

If you’d like to learn more about InDro Robotics solutions, contact us here. For Cypher Robotics and Captis, reach out here.

Cover image of Dubai at top of story via Wikimedia Commons by Tim Reckmann, CC BY-SA 3.0

A deep dive into our Sentinel inspection robot

A deep dive into our Sentinel inspection robot

Oct 21, 2024 | InDro Sentinel, InDro Solutions, Inspection, Scott Simmie, Sentinel

By Scott Simmie

 

Back in 2022 we officially took the wraps off Sentinel – a workhorse robot aimed at remotely inspecting assets like electrical substations.

Before we even designed and built Sentinel, our engineering and sales team put a lot of thought into what would need to go into such a robot. We knew, first and foremost, it had be rugged and capable regardless of terrain. It had to be nearly impervious to inclement weather. It had to be capable of transmitting even dense data from hundreds or thousands of kilometres away from the client. Plus, it had to be equipped with state-of-the-art sensors. Oh yes, it also needed to perform self-diagnostics and send back an easy to read overall health report.

And then our team at Area X.O got to work.

Below: Sentinel

INVENT, ENHANCE, DEPLOY

 

You may have heard that phrase before. It’s a quote from Founder and CEO Philip Reece that succinctly encapsulates what InDro does. It has since become our tagline, and if you see us at a convention you’ll see it on our branding.

The reason we emphasize this now is because InDro remains committed to this ethos. Once we have a product out in the field, we don’t rest on our laurels. We gather learnings from our testing, deployments, and – most importantly of all – our clients to see if we can make an already good product better.

Sentinel featured high-power onboard compute, a 30x optical PTZ camera (complete with wiper!), a thermal sensor and more. It also carried the ROS1 software library onboard which – among other things – allowed Sentinel to instantly recognise any new sensors that were added or replaced. It came equipped with a high-speed modem for remote teleoperations. And it had a pretty good version of our own InDro Autonomy stack.

During a demonstration from Washington State we connected over a 5G network to Area X.O in Ottawa. The two locations were more than 4100 kilometres apart. At the Bellevue end, we had an Xbox controller connected to a laptop. That laptop was logged into a third-party console for remote operations.

At the other end, Sentinel was awaiting instructions. We showed several people the basics of how to operate (and it doesn’t get more intuitive than an Xbox controller) and let them take a spin. You might well think, given the distance involved, there would have been a perceptible lag. There wasn’t (I was there). The response was so instantaneous it was almost like playing a video game. Plus, realtime data – including a video feed – was coming in from Sentinel’s sensors.

 

THE EPRI DEPLOYMENT

 

Testing robots – particularly robots like Sentinel – in a real-world environment is crucial. And, since Sentinel was designed for the remote inspection of critical assets like electrical substations, we caught the attention of EPRI – the Electric Power Research Institute. The non-profit organization is constantly doing research, collaborating with more than 450 private companies across 45 countries globally.

EPRI has multiple research facilities, including one in Lenox, Massachusetts. This particular location features an electrical substation that can be energised, de-energised – and can even simulate rain for testing purposes. So we took Sentinel down there and put it through its paces. We ran it through every variation of testing they could throw at it, including nighttime missions (with the substation both energised and de-energised) as well as with and without rain in each of those scenarios. (Yes, we did daytime missions as well.)

The purpose was to see how well Sentinel could perform in that very much real-world setting. It did very well – though we aso learned some lessons. We discovered that gravel could occasionally get caught between the gears and the treads. And, more importantly, we found that capturing and delivering all that data while doing remote ops put a crushing demand on the compute (a Jetson Xaiver NX).

“We were maxing out the CPU,” recalls Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth, who was on that mission. “We were at pretty much 99 per cent usage.”

Over the course of subsequent deployments and testing, we began to explore ways to improve Sentinel.

Below: Data flows through the third-party console we were using at the time to monitor missions

UPGRADED INTERIOR, EXTERIOR

We’ve always had a consistent vision for Sentinel and its use-cases.

“The concept has basically gone unchanged since our initial vision,” says Corbeth. “We envisioned certain industries with an emphasis on the value of preventative maintenance. That has remained the focus.”

But as we encountered new environments and challenges, we worked on ways to improve the build. We are now taking advantage of the latest in AI processing, giving these robots the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin Developer Kit for compute. It’s capable of up to 275 trillion operations per second (TOPS) – and is a huge leap forward in compute and AI recognition. Plus, you can throw literally everything at it and it doesn’t break a sweat.

“We’re now able to operate – with all data streaming – at about 30 to 40 per cent of the CPU’s capacity,” says Corbeth.

An optional platform upgrade brings us to the Bunker Pro, which has better weather protection (including skirts that prevent gravel from getting stuck) and longer run time. We moved to the latest models of PTZ and thermal cameras to ensure exceptional resolution and the best imagery in low-light situations. We integrated more pinhole cameras for 360° situational awareness and added a second depth perception camera. We can also add a range finder and two hemispherical LiDAR units, pending client needs. (There’s also the option of safety LiDAR units if Sentinel is deployed around people.)

And that’s just for starters. In addition, InDro’s engineering team can add:

  • New connectivity module for greater bandwidth and lower latency
  • Improved GPS and IMU units
  • The latest InDro Autonomy stack

All of these capabilities ensure Sentinel can operate with precision in unfamiliar and GPS-denied environments. It returns to base and recharges wirelessly without any mechanical connection (thus avoiding a potential point of failure).  It can capture flawless digital twins of entire facilities.

And InDro is in control of all facets of production.

“With the introduction of InDro Forge, we’ve been able to do all of the design and manufacturing in-house,” says Corbeth.

Below: Sentinel combines brains with brawn

InDro Sentinel

MISSION PLANNING

 

Remember how we mentioned originally operating Sentinel via a third-party console? Well, despite getting pretty low latency we found some things were lacking. We wanted a more intuitive and powerful system for controlling Sentinel and setting up autonomous missions. We also wanted a console with bulletproof security.

So we built one. InDro Controller both improves the user experience and adds more power and customization features for the client. We asked Luke to walk us through how easy it is for a client to plan a mission.

“So the robot will always begin its mission starting in the doghouse where it’s actively wirelessly charging, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice with full battery. Deployments can be automated and autonomous, or manually operated,” he explains.

Most clients prefer to have autonomous missions. And InDro is happy to help set up optimal mission planning, with specific repeatable actions at various waypoints. The exceptional AI and machine vision onboard means that Sentinel can not only recognise a gauge – it can understand the reading.

“So we help create the most efficient and safest route for the robot to follow. And at each of its specific waypoints, it’s capturing high-resolution photos, video or thermal data. It will remember, for example, to not only stop but to adjust the camera and zoom in on a specific predetermined asset. You’ll get actionable data with every mission,” adds Corbeth.

Watch both Sentinel and InDro Controller at work in the video below

INDRO’S TAKE

 

There are even more enhancements on the way for Sentinel that we didn’t explore in this post. If you’re curious, you can check out even more features here.

“Sentinel is an exceptionally well-engineered product – where every design decision was made with the client in mind,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “It has already drawn attention from those seeking a cutting-edge solution to autonomous remote inspections. A US client just purchased several for precisely that use-case, and we’ll be completing those builds shortly.”

Interested in a demo? Get in touch with Luke Corbeth and he’ll set you up.

Cypher Robotics and Captis gain buzz at GITEX GLOBAL 2024

Cypher Robotics and Captis gain buzz at GITEX GLOBAL 2024

Oct 17, 2024 | Captis, cycle counting, Cypher Robotics, GITEX GLOBAL 2024, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

It is, as the saying goes, “The biggest show on earth.”

At least it is if you’re talking about technology and AI. We’re referring here to GITEX GLOBAL 2024, running from October 14-18 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It’s the largest and most influential tech and AI show on the planet, spanning 40 halls with 6,500 exhibitors and more than 200,000 buyers. From the largest global tech and AI firms right down to the most innovative startups, it’s all there in one place.

That also means, as an exhibitor, there’s a lot of competition for eyeballs. For example, Tesla is there with the latest iteration of its humanoid robot Optimus – which was unveiled at a splashy event hosted by Elon Musk just last week. The latest autonomous vehicles are on display, including air taxis from the coming world of Advanced Air Mobility.

It could, at a show of this magnitude, be easy for an exhibitor to get lost in the crowd. But Canada’s Cypher Robotics – and its cutting-edge cycle counting/precision scanning solution Captis – is garnering plenty of attention on the world stage.

“We knew there was demand for a solution like ours, but the response has been phenomenal,” says Founder/CEO Peter King. “And the show’s not even over.”

Below: The Cypher Robotics inventory counting solution Captis, in a major Canadian warehouse where it’s been deployed for a year, followed by a video showing Captis in action

Cypher Robotics Captis

THE CAPTIS SOLUTION

 

The revolution toward Industry 4.0 – where automation and AI are intertwined for greater efficiency – is well underway. Industry leaders like Amazon are already extensively automated with robotic systems to assist with fulfilment and inventory counting. For many other large companies, however, that voyage is just beginning. And there’s tremendous interest in solutions that can bring autonomous and accurate solutions to the warehouse floor.

“The response at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 has been tremendous,” says King. “And not just from retailers with large warehouses that need cycle counting and precision scanning. We’re also having serious discussions with clients from the Third Party Logistics (3PL) and healthcare sectors.”

That’s because Captis is like no other solution on the market.

“Captis can work non-stop for five hours, autonomously scanning inventory in even massive warehouses up to a height of 15 metres,” says King. “It captures data that is instantly and securely integrated with existing warehouse management platforms with 99.9 per cent accuracy. Not only does it read any kind of code on stock, it can also do RFID scanning. The efficiencies we’ve seen with our flagship client in Canada are amazing.”

 

HOW IT WORKS

 

For many companies with large warehouses, scanning is still done manually. That means workers repeatedly moving down massive aisles with a handheld scanner. It’s not very satisfying work and is prone to human error. The task also tends to have high attrition rates. In warehouses with inventory stacked high (as most are), there’s the added element of risk from having a human work at height on a forklift or other elevated platform.

Captis changes all this.

The Captis base is a low-footprint autonomous mobile robot (AMR). That base, on its own, is capable of automatically capturing RFID tags, or creating a precise digital twin of a space for planning scenarios. When its five-hour mission is complete, it returns and recharges wirelessly at its base. Its small size means no infrastructure changes are required at warehouses – something often required for other AMR and cycle counting solutions.

But the exceptional value proposition comes from the ability of Captis to work at height. That’s because it’s not simply an AMR – but an AMR with embedded drone technology.

A Robot Operating System (ROS) based drone rests atop Captis. It’s linked to the base via a lightweight tether. That tether provides power to the drone, and transfers data between the two. As Captis makes its way down warehouse aisles, the drone ascends directly above it. The drone is equipped with multiple sensors to read any and all inventory codes. That data is then instantly migrated into existing Warehouse Management Software or Warehouse Execution System platforms. Captis has been tested and certified by one of the world’s leading AI fulfilment software companies and integrates seamlessly with its platform.

Captis has been deployed at a major Canadian retailer – a company with some 300 large warehouses across the country – for more than a year. It has saved 250,000 person-hours of work and generated significant additional revenue for the client by identifying discontinued or excess stock that can be discounted and sold to pave the way for current inventory. It has also freed up forklifts and other machines that would otherwise have been used to assist with human scanning at height.

“Captis is a proven solution,” says King. “And I think that’s part of the reason there’s so much interest here at GITEX GLOBAL 2024.”

Below: A snapshot of the multiple value propositions Captis brings to the table (and the warehouse), followed by a video detailing the Captis mobile app released at GITEX GLOBAL 2024

Cypher Robotics value prop

INDRO’S TAKE

 

The genesis of Cypher Robotics was the identification of the need for an all-in-one solution: Cycle counting, RFID scanning, and precision scanning for digital twins. That’s how the idea for Captis came about. It was an ambitious concept that would require exceptional and dedicated engineering. InDro Robotics offered its support as incubator, assisting with the immense technical challenges which had to be overcome for this system to work.

“Indro Robotics is proud to have assisted Cypher Robotics take Captis from a concept to a market-ready robotic solution,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece.

“The move toward Industry 4.0 is accelerating, and products like Captis – with autonomous cycle counting, RFID capture and precision scanning – will play critical roles in this revolution. We’re pleased, but not surprised, to hear Captis is garnering a lot of attention in Dubai.”

Interested in learning what Captis can do for you? Reach out here. You can also download a news release about Cypher Robotics and Captis at GITEX GLOBAL 2024 here.