A Q&A with Real Life Robotics CEO Cameron Waite

A Q&A with Real Life Robotics CEO Cameron Waite

May 17, 2023 | InDro News, RealLife Robotics, Robotics

By Scott Simmie

 

There’s a new robot – and a new robotics company – in town.

Real Life Robotics, founded by CEO Cameron Waite, is a cargo and last-mile robotics delivery firm. Its deployments utilise products developed by InDro Robotics intended for both autonomous and tele-operated missions over 4G and 5G networks. These robots, customisable for client-specific applications, are designed for long-range and large payloads.

Its first workhorse, currently doing demos for potential clients, is a unit Real Life calls BUBS. Developed by InDro, the robot is a second-generation delivery machine with impressive payload capability and a lockable payload door that opens upon reaching its destination. It’s suitable for a wide variety of use-cases and can be modified for client-specific needs.

BUBS is packed with features, including:

  • A total of six cameras, including two sets of depth perception cameras at the front and rear for greater situational awareness for the operator
  • LED running lights, signal lights, brake lights
  • Large cargo bay (50kg capacity) that can be opened and closed remotely
  • Greater all-weather protection and a touchscreen interface for customers

Just as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince had a name change, so too has BUBS. InDro’s and Real Life Robotics’ earlier development name for the machine was ROLL-E 2.0. It went through successful trials with London Drugs in Surrey, BC, for home deliveries.

 

Below: Bubs in action during trials in BC for London Drugs

THE INDRO-REAL LIFE CONNECTION

 

Like most business relationships, this one began with a conversation. Specifically, a chat between InDro CEO Philip Reece and Cameron Waite in 2021. Just as InDro has deep expertise in robotics R&D, Waite has a high-level background in robotics sales and customer success. With more than two decades of experience in hardware sales, Waite was an early hire at Canadian success story Aeryon Labs, a pioneering UAV firm that was acquired by FLIR for $200M.

Waite was responsible for global sales with Aeryon, engaging with clients ranging from police and First Responders to defence, commercial inspection, “and everything in-between,” he says. He learned a lot about different use-case scenarios for the product – as well as the ability of engineers to customise capabilities of the core product line to meet the needs of clients.

From there, he went on to a similar position at Avidbots. He was, again, a very early-stage hire with significant responsibilities for helping grow the company.

“There was no revenue there prior to my joining,” he says. “I was the first sales hire at Aeryon; I was the first sales hire at Avidbots.”

So, what did he do at Avidbots?

“I was able to engage with some of the largest companies in the world – everyone from DHL to Walmart. I spent five years there, growing that organization, hiring and managing staff, sales people, but also being involved in customer success and support and product and product development. Making sure that the feedback from the clients in the field was making its way to the team to build and develop and modify and tweak that robot to better fit the needs of our clients so that our clients would continue to want to scale.”

We interviewed Waite (obviously) about his plans for Real Life Robotics, and the kind of clients that might be a solid fit for BUBS.

Below: Real Life Robotics CEO/Founder Cameron Waite in conversation with Scott Simmie

Cameron Waite RealLife Robotics

QUESTIONS. AND ANSWERS

 

So let’s get into the Q & As.

Q: Tell us about BUBS

A: BUBS is a second-generation delivery robot. It is a large unit relative to what we typically would see out in the market. It uses a suite of sensors onboard to give it spacial and environmental awareness. We use systems like the NVIDIA Nano to process data that the robot sees in real time, which allows it to make its own autonomous decisions to navigate through the world.

The robot is large-capacity and has a locking, remotely operated lid that allows it to securely hold and transport whatever it is our customers are interested in moving. It’s a large-enough system that it can hold food, beverages, product from a store, pharmaceuticals or lab samples from a hospital, dirty linens in a long-term care facility, product on a golf course – really anything that needs to be transported from Point A to Point B.

It has indoor and outdoor capabilities, so it is weather-resistant. It can handle some pretty significant slopes and terrain. The robot, in addition to its autonomy and sensor package, utilises a radio system that allows us to have remote assistance or piloting as necessary through a WiFI connection, a 4G/5G connection, or private network. We currently use the Rogers 5G network as our backbone, and from a teleoperation or semi-autonomous perspective, we can have an operator located anywhere on planet earth and have that person remotely assist or operate the robot as necessary with under a 1/10th of a second latency. So it’s near real-time using EDGE computing.

 

IS BUBS DESIGNED FOR AUTONOMOUS OPS OR TELE-OPERATION?

 

That was the question. Here’s the answer.

A: The answer depends on the application itself. So some environments where we have a high degree of predictability and can pre-map and understand that environment, those are environments that are more conducive to fully autonomous operations. The robot can be trained using Computer Vision and AI to autonomously navigate through an entire space if that space is predictable.

Alternatively, if there is a high degree of variability, or there are safety or regulatory concerns that require a human in the loop, we have that option as well. So, for example, if a robot was to be traveling in a city environment and it needed to cross a road – that’s a complex procedure for any robot to do. And there’s likely a degree of human interface that would be beneficial to have that robot determine when and where it’s safe to cross the road. Or if a path was blocked by a large-enough obstacle, and the robot needed to exit a geofence that is pre-programmed into that operation, in order to safely manoeuevre around that obstacle, it’s likely a good idea to have a human in the loop to make that complex decision.

The more repetitive times that type of an application happens, the more a robot can be trained to autonomously execute those types of scenarios. As that robot’s deployment increases over time, the human interface required decreases. But there will always be some level of human in the loop.

 

WHAT ABOUT REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTS AND ADOPTION?

 

A: Over the next 10 years, we will see an enormous increase in the reliance on robotics to do basic things like delivery inside municipal environments. One of the things I learned at Aeryon years ago was the importance of engaging with government early on, because government can otherwise potentially shut down your operations at a really inopportune time. And so Real Life Robotics has already engaged with a number of Canadian cities and had early approvals to allow our robots to drive around in certain automation projects in city environments.

Municipalities typically have concerns around full automation and Level 4, Level 5 autonomy. If Elon Musk and his team are not able to get approvals to drive around in downtown Toronto, how do we think we’re going to get the same approvals to drive around autonomously? We’re not. So the cities have actually really embraced the fact that our robots can have a human in the loop to make some of those difficult decisions. That helps alleviate some of the concerns around full autonomy. But we have spent the time building the groundwork to allow us to operate in their environments and we, in return, intend to work very closely with those cities to actually build the playbook, and build the ruleset and the framework around successful and safe deployment of robots in urban environments.

 

CAN BUBS BE MODIFIED FOR CLIENTS?

 

A: Absolutely. Our mandate is to commercialise robots. And as part of any startup growth plan, sometimes there are pivots along the way that you need to make. But in general, a client that has a real ROI potential where robots can facilitate that, and a client that has the potential for scale, that’s our expertise. With the combined benefit of having InDro, we can not only develop a very specific robot solution to solve a customer’s immediate concerns or challenges, we can also scale that robot.

Q: Why did you feel InDro was the best fit for a partner?

A: In general, InDro would be considered a world-class R&D company – hands down, bar none. And that’s why we partnered with them. The firm has an enormous skillset, including expertise with autonomy, sensor fusion and integration. Because the company has all off that, plus a large engineering staff, we’re lucky to call InDro a true partner. InDro’s capabilities and agility will help speed the path of Real Life – and our clients – to commercialisation.

Below: BUBS in action during a pilot project in Surrey, BC

Delivery Robot

SPREADING THE NEWS

 

Real Life Robotics issued a news release on its partnership with InDro, which you can find here. But we’ll take the liberty to borrow a section from it:

“The ground robotic delivery market is still very new,” explains Waite. “We engage with both commercial/industrial and government clients who want to lead the charge in adoption of this exciting technology we’ve created.”

“Using a combination of hardware, software, and artificial intelligence, Real Life Robotics’ flagship product, called BUBS™, provides cargo and delivery automation at scale. The company’s unique Robot-As-A-Service model approach provides clients with a white-labelled, customized robot at an accessible cost, allowing businesses to realize immediate top line and bottom line impact.

“Businesses in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, agriculture and food services sectors among others can utilize BUBS™ for a variety of last-mile delivery applications with BUBS™ providing immediate solutions to labor shortages, as well as cost savings, labor efficiencies optimization while driving additional new revenue streams.

“InDro and Real Life Robotics will work closely together to enhance robot offerings, as well as identify new ways of collaborating in a fast-growing marketplace.”

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously equally pleased with this partnership – and are eager to build and customise ground robot solutions for the clients of Real Life Robotics.

“Cameron Waite has deep expertise in sales and support of aerial and ground robotics, along with customer success,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “We look forward to creating custom solutions at scale for Cam’s clients. Real Life Robotics is the right company, with the right leader, at the right time.”

You can learn more about Real Life Robotics here. And you can reach CEO Cameron Waite here.

CONTACT

INDRO ROBOTICS
305, 31 Bastion Square,
Victoria, BC, V8W 1J1

P: 1-844-GOINDRO
(1-844-464-6376)

E: Info@InDroRobotics.com

copyright 2022 © InDro Robotics all rights reserved

InDro attends Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston

InDro attends Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston

May 12, 2023 | Events, InDro News, Industry News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

There’s nothing like a little trip to Boston at this time of year. Especially when the annual Robotics Summit and Expo is on.

InDro dispatched Account Executive Luke Corbeth and Head of Strategic Innovations Stacey Connors to the show, along with a number of devices either manufactured or distributed by InDro Robotics.

And it was busy. So busy, that it produced a quote we never anticipated.

“I only had time for one pee break all day and didn’t stop talking,” laughs Corbeth.

Between demonstrating a dog-like robot and other devices, speaking with attendees and potential clients, Corbeth says the tempo was absolutely surreal – with a steady stream of people at the InDro booth wanting to learn more about the company and its solutions.

“Honestly our booth was too busy,” adds Connors. “We needed two of us there, manning it nonstop.”

But that’s a good problem to have.

There was a large number of startups in attendance, as well as engineering students, professors, and others from the world of robotics, robotic medicine/surgery and academia. In conversations, Corbeth says many were keen to learn of InDro’s expertise as an integrator.

“A lot of people told us they were having difficulty building their own hardware. They really tinker with hardware and struggle with integration. For someone trying to build an autonomous inspection solution, for example, it can be challenging to focus on what you actually want to do achieve if you’re spending so much time on the hardware.”

Below: Team InDro during a microsecond when the booth wasn’t swamped:

Robotics Summit

PLENTY OF GEAR

 

InDro took a number of products the company has developed or distributes to the show. The Unitree GO1 EDU, seen in the photo above, was a big hit. But there was plenty of interest in InDro products including our new indoor drone – which has capabilities not available with standard commercial drones.

“It’s a ROS-based drone,” explains Corbeth. “It has compute onboard, a depth camera, a 4K camera, and 5G connectivity for remote teleoperations. With a standard DJI drone you don’t have the same ability to develop autonomous and custom applications. But ours can be programmed in ROS (Robot Operating System), which enables different sorts of projects that off-the-shelf drones just can’t do.”

There were plenty of engineering students – many specialising in robotics and mechatronics – at the Expo. It’s a sign, if any were needed, indicative of the massive growth in the industry.

“The students really see that,” says Corbeth. “So they put their efforts into learning how to design and build and improve these types of robots and want to be part of that going forward.”

 

MASSROBOTICS

 

Massachusetts has a thriving robotics community, including more than 400 companies that build or utilise robotic solutions. And there was a big presence at the show from MassRobotics, a non-profit innovation hub, accelerator and incubator for robotics and connected devices startups. It offers support and expertise as entrepreneurs move from envisioning a solution through to eventual production and commercialisation. The organisation also frequently teams with industry partners to issue robotics challenges, where university teams try to fulfil specific challenges in order to win cash prizes.

“We help bridge the gap and connect our startups to potential customers and investors, offering facilities and platforms to showcase their technology,” says its website.  “MassRobotics’ mission is to help create and scale the next generation of successful robotics technology and connected devices companies by providing innovative entrepreneurs and startups with the workspace and resources they need to develop, prototype, test and commercialize their products and solutions.”

Because of that mission, there was real interest in InDro’s capabilities, says Corbeth:

“They showcased a number of student-led projects, so it was nice to see what the academic world is building. They also seemed intrigued at the idea of jump-starting their projects with InDro’s integration abilities.”

InDro also told MassRobotics staff about the forthcoming drone and robot advanced training, testing and evaluation site coming soon to Area X.O.

“They lit up when I talked about the testing site at Area X.O,” says Connors, who is hoping to arrange potential collaboration between MassRobotics, Area X.O and Invest Ottawa. “It’s all about opening doors.”

Below: An image from the MassRobotics website, showing some of the 400 companies manufacturing or utilizing robotics in Massachusetts.

 

MassRobotics Boston robot companies

CLIENT VISITS

 

For Luke Corbeth, who drove down with a car absolutely jammed with robots and a drone, the Robotics Summit & Expo was just part of a very busy week. He also visited clients at the University of Massachusetts, as well as Boston University’s College of Engineering – which has purchased a fleet of Limo R&D robots. (The department is apparently doing research involving using the robots in collaborative swarms.)

It was an opportunity he welcomed.

“In the post-Covid era, a lot of interactions are online so it’s nice to actually meet the clients face-to-face, hear about their problems and successes and use that feedback to better service them and improve our products.”

And a personal highlight for Luke? A booth visit from Aaron Prather, Director of the Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International. Prather is followed by nearly 40,000 people on LinkedIn, where he posts prolifically on developments in the field of robotics.

“I feel like I met the Michael Jackson of robotics,” says Corbeth.

Robotics Summit Luke Corbeth Aaron Prather

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We were pleased to make some connections – and likely some sales – at the Robotics Summit & Expo. We were also pleased to see the immense interest in what InDro does (something we covered at length in a post here).

“While conferences often bring sales, sometimes exposure and making new connections are just as valuable – or more,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“We’ve developed many partnerships that began as simple conversations at events like these, and we look forward to building more.”

We generally give advance notice when we’re attending conferences via LinkedIn and Twitter. Give us a follow and stay up to date on InDro developments.

Still a long road to fully autonomous passenger cars

Still a long road to fully autonomous passenger cars

Dec 7, 2022 | Autonomy, InDro Autonomy, InDro News, Robotics, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

We hear a lot about self-driving cars – and that’s understandable.

There are a growing number of Teslas on the roads, with many owners testing the latest beta versions of FSD (Full Self-Driving) software. The latest release allows for automated driving on both highways and in cities – but the driver still must be ready to intervene and take control at all times. Genesis, Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles can actively steer, brake and accelerate on highways while the driver’s hands remain on the wheel. Ford EVs offer something known as BlueCruise, a hands-free mode that can be engaged on specific, approved highways in Canada and the US. Other manufacturers, such as Honda, BMW and Mercedes, are also in the driver-assist game.

So a growing number of manufacturers offer something that’s on the path to autonomy. But are there truly autonomous vehicles intended to transport humans on our roads? If not, how long will it take until there are?

Good question. And it was one of several explored during a panel on autonomy (and associated myths) at the fifth annual CAV Canada conference, which took place in Ottawa December 5. InDro’s own Head of Robotic Solutions (and Tesla owner) Peter King joined other experts in the field on the panel.

 

Autonomous Cars

Levels of autonomy

 

As the panel got underway, there were plenty of acronyms being thrown around. The most common were L2 and L3, standing for Level 2 and Level 3 on a scale of autonomy that ranges from zero to five.

This scale was created by the Society of Automotive Engineers as a reference classification system for motor vehicles. At Level 0, there is no automation whatsoever, and all aspects of driving require human input. Think of your standard car, where you basically have to do everything. Level 0 cars can have some assistive features such as stability control, collision warning and automatic emergency braking. But because none of those features are considered to actually help drive the car, such vehicles remain in Level 0.

Level 5 is a fully autonomous vehicle capable of driving at any time of the day or night and in any conditions, ranging from a sunny day with dry pavement through to a raging blizzard or even a hurricane (when, arguably, no one should be driving anyway). The driver does not need to do anything other than input a destination, and is free to watch a movie or even sleep during the voyage. In fact, a Level 5 vehicle would not need a steering wheel, gas pedal, or other standard manual controls. It would also be capable of responding in an emergency situation completely on its own.

Currently, the vast majority of cars on the road in North America are Level 0. And even the most advanced Tesla would be considered Level 2. There is a Level 3 vehicle on the roads in Japan, but there are currently (at least to the best of our knowledge and research), no Level 3 vehicles in the US or Canada.

As consumer research and data analytics firm J.D. Power describes it:

“It is worth repeating and emphasizing the following: As of May 2021, no vehicles sold in the U.S. market have a Level 3, Level 4, or Level 5 automated driving system. All of them require an alert driver sitting in the driver’s seat, ready to take control at any time. If you believe otherwise, you are mistaken, and it could cost you your life, the life of someone you love, or the life of an innocent bystander.”

To get a better picture of these various levels of autonomy, take a look at this graphic produced by the Society of Automotive Engineers International.

Autonomy

Now we’ve got some context…

 

So let’s hear what the experts have to say.

The consensus, as you might have guessed, is that we’re nowhere near the elusive goal of a Level 5 passenger vehicle.

“Ten years ago, we were all promised we’d be in autonomous vehicles by now,” said panel moderator Michelle Gee, Business Development and Strategy Director with extensive experience in the automotive and aerospace sectors. Gee then asked panelists for their own predictions as to when the Level 4 or 5 vehicles would truly arrive.

“I think we’re still probably about seven-plus years away,” offered Colin Singh Dhillon, CTO with the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association.

“But I’d also like to say, it’s not just about the form of mobility, you have to make sure your infrastructure is also smart as well. So if we’re all in a bit of a rush to get there, then I think we also have to make sure we’re taking infrastructure along with us.”

Autonomous Cars

It’s an important point.

Vehicles on the path to autonomy currently have to operate within an infrastructure originally built for human beings operating Level 0 vehicles. Such vehicles, as they move up progressive levels of autonomy, must be able to scan and interpret signage, traffic lights, understand weather and traction conditions – and much more.

Embedding smart technologies along urban streets and even on highways could help enable functionalities and streamline data processing in future. If a Level 4 or 5 vehicle ‘knew’ there was no traffic coming at an upcoming intersection, there would be no need to stop. In fact, if *all* vehicles were Level 4 or above, smart infrastructure could fully negate the need for traffic lights and road signs entirely.

 

Seven to 10 years?

 

If that’s truly the reality, why is there so much talk about autonomous cars right now?

The answer, it was suggested, is in commonly used – but misleading – language. The term “self-driving” has become commonplace, even when referring solely to the ability of a vehicle to maintain speed and lane position on the highway. Tesla refers to its beta software as “Full Self-Driving.” And when consumers hear that, they think autonomy – even though such vehicles are only Level 2 on the autonomy scale. So some education around langage may be in order, suggested some panelists.

“It’s the visual of the word ‘self-driving’ – which somehow means: ‘Oh, it’s autonomous.’ But it isn’t,” explained Dhillon. “…maybe make automakers change those terms. If that was ‘driver-assisted driving,’ then I don’t think people would sleeping at the wheel whilst they’re on the highway.”

One panelist suggested looking ahead to Level 5 may be impractical – and even unnecessary. Recall that Level 5 means a vehicle capable of operating in all conditions, including weather events like hurricanes, where the vast majority of people would not even attempt to drive.

“It’s not safe for a human to be out in those conditions…I think we should be honing down on the ‘must-haves,’ offered Selika Josaih Talbott, a strategic advisor known for her thoughtful takes on autonomy, EVs and mobility.

“Can it move safely within communities in the most generalised conditions? And I think we’re clearly getting there. I don’t even know that it’s (Level 5) something we need to get to, so I’d rather concentrate on Level 3 and Level 4 at this point.”

 

Autonomous Cars

InDro’s Peter King agrees that Level 5 isn’t coming anytime soon.

“I believe the technology will be ready within the next 10 years,” he says. “But I believe it’ll take 30-40 years before we see widespread adoption due to necessary changes required in infrastructure, regulation and consumer buy-in.”

And that’s not all.

“A go-to-market strategy for Level 5 autonomy is a monumental task. It involves significant investments in technology and infrastructure – and needs to be done so in collaboration with regulators while also factoring in safety and trust from consumers with a business model that is attainable for the masses.”

What about robots?

Specifically, what about Uncrewed Ground Vehicles like InDro’s Sentinel inspection robot, designed for monitoring remote facilities like electrical substations and solar farms? Sentinel is currently teleoperated over 4G and 5G networks with a human controlling the robot’s actions and monitoring its data output. 

Yet regular readers will also know we recently announced InDro Autonomy, a forthcoming software package we said will allow Sentinel and other ROS2 (Robot Operating System) machines to carry out autonomous missions.

Were we – perhaps like some automakers – overstating things?

“The six levels of autonomy put together by the SAE are meant to apply to motor vehicles that carry humans,” explains Arron Griffiths, InDro’s lead engineer. In fact, there’s a separate categorization for UGVs.

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), which creates standards, describes those tiers as follows: “Currently, an A-UGV can be at one of three autonomy levels: automatic, automated, or autonomous. Vehicles operating on the first two levels (automatic and automated) are referred to as automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), while those on the third are called mobile robots.”

“With uncrewed robots like Sentinel, we like to think of autonomy as requiring minimal human intervention over time,” explains Griffiths. “Because Sentinel can auto-dock for wireless recharging in between missions, we believe it could go for weeks – quite likely even longer – without human intervention, regardless of whether that intervention is in-person or virtual,” he says.

“The other thing to consider is that these remote ground robots, in general, don’t have to cope with the myriad of inputs and potential dangers that an autonomous vehicle driving in a city must contend with. Nearly all of our UGV ground deployments are in remote and fenced-in facilities – with no people or other vehicles around.”

So yes, given that InDro’s Sentinel will be able to operate independently – or with minimal human intervention spread over long periods – we are comfortable with saying that machine will soon be autonomous. It will even be smart enough to figure out shortcuts over time that might make its data missions more efficient.

It won’t have the capabilities of that elusive Level 5 – but it will get the job done.

InDro’s take

 

Autonomy isn’t easy. Trying to create a fully autonomous vehicle that can safely transport a human (and drive more safely than a human in all conditions), is a daunting task. We expect Level 5 passenger vehicles will come, but there’s still a long road ahead.

Things are easier when it comes to Uncrewed Ground Vehicles collecting data in remote locations (which is, arguably, where they’re needed most). They don’t have to deal with urban infrastructure, unpredictable drivers, reading and interpreting signage, etc.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy, of course – but it is doable.

And we’re doing it. Stay tuned for the Q1 release of InDro Autonomy.

 

InDro’s ROLL-E 2.0 robot delivers to London Drugs customers in Surrey, BC

InDro’s ROLL-E 2.0 robot delivers to London Drugs customers in Surrey, BC

Sep 16, 2022 | InDro News, Robotics, ROLL-E, Scott Simmie

There’s a new robot in town.

That robot is InDro’s ROLL-E 2.0, and the town (well, city) is Surrey BC.

In the latest phase of an ongoing pilot project with London Drugs, the new version of InDro’s delivery robot was on the job September 9, delivering curbside orders to customers for touchless and convenient delivery. ROLL-E even delivered from the store to a customer’s home.

Let’s take a look at this robot, which features a number of innovations its predecessor, the original ROLL-E, did not have.

Delivery Robot

A leap from ROLL-E 1.0

 

You might recall that Indro Robotics carried out a longer-term pilot project at a location of London Drugs in Victoria, BC. The robot carried out regular curbside deliveries for customers who ordered online and wanted a touchless pickup experience.

The original ROLL-E worked great, but we learned some lessons that have resulted in an even more user-friendly robot. As a result, ROLL-E 2.0 features a host of new features, including:

  • A total of six cameras, including two sets of depth perception cameras at the front and rear for greater situational awareness for the operator
  • LED running lights, signal lights, brake lights
  • Large cargo bay (50kg capacity) that can be opened and closed remotely
  • Greater all-weather protection and a touchscreen interface for customers

Here’s a quick look at ROLL-E 2.0 on the job:

Tele-operated

 

ROLL-E 2.0 is a tele-operated robot, with an operator controlling it over the 4G or 5G cellular networks. That means the ‘driver’ could be in the local London Drugs outlet, or even hundreds of kilometres away. The person operating sees the view from all cameras, GPS location, ROLL-E health – and more – over a computer console. ROLL-E 2.0 is not yet a fully autonomous machine, but does have the capability to eventually be thinking on its own.

The first deployment – for curbside pickups in Victoria – was popular with customers and London Drugs staff. Pushing the envelope with home deliveries was the next logical step.

“Customers were pleased with both the convenience and experience of having goods delivered to their car by robot,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “This took things further, both literally and figuratively. Delivery robots will one day become commonplace, so London Drugs and the City of Surrey are really ahead of the game.”

London Drugs, meanwhile, is interested in continuing to assess the efficiency and customer acceptance of robot deliveries as part of the future of e-commerce.

“Following a successful pilot debut for ROLL-E earlier this year, we are thrilled to be further exploring its capabilities as we test home delivery in conjunction with Indro Robotics and the City of Surrey,” says Nick Curalli, London Drugs vice president of technology solutions. “This is an important step for our company as we look for innovative ways to serve our customers in the safest and most convenient way.”

By the way, that’s InDro’s Kate Klassen on the left in the photo below. She was ROLL-E’s operator for this project. 

 

Delivery Robot

The Surrey connection

 

Surrey was an ideal test bed. The city welcomes projects like this as part of its Urban Technology Test Lab, which accelerates innovative projects toward commercialisation.

“Responding to the need for technology testing areas, the Urban Technology Test Lab Pilot provides technology firms with access to safe, local test zones,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. “Without the opportunity to field test in a real-world setting, many of the products could not proceed to final development and commercialisation. I am thrilled to see ‘ROLL-E 2.0’ hit Surrey streets for testing, and I am excited to see this initiative launch. The future truly does live here in the City of Surrey.”

ROLL-E 2.0 Surrey

InDro’s take

 

As an R&D company, InDro has always taken a “Crawl, walk, run” approach when it comes to testing new technology. The initial deployment in Victoria with ROLL-E 1.0 was the crawl phase, putting the product through its paces in a real-world setting. ROLL-E 2.0’s development and testing in Surrey was the our first chance to walk; we’ll soon be ready to run.

For InDro Robotics, this is about more than a business case. The eventual widespread adoption of robots like these will end countless short trips by automobile to nearby stores for small orders.

“Because ROLL-E 2.0 is electric, these deliveries will eliminate carbon emissions that would have otherwise been created by people driving to the store and back,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “This project involves a single robot, but deploying these at scale in the future will have a measurable impact on C02.”

We’ll check in again when ROLL-E 2.0 starts running.

InDro Robotics, London Drugs, pilot Roll-E robot

InDro Robotics, London Drugs, pilot Roll-E robot

Apr 7, 2022 | InDro News, Robotics, ROLL-E, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie, InDro Robotics

 

Meet Roll-E.

It’s a cargo-carrying Uncrewed Ground Vehicle (UGV), or robot, developed by InDro Robotics. It can be remotely teleoperated from around the corner or across the country. And it’s being put into service in a new partnership with London Drugs, helping with contactless curbside deliveries in Victoria.

We’ll explore all the relevant deets in a moment, but first – let’s take a look at this nifty and smart machine.

Delivery Robots

You’ve got to admit, that’s a pretty good-looking robot. But Roll-E is much more than that.

Built on the AgileX Scout Mini platform, Roll-E has been constructed to operate over the 5G and 4G networks. The remotely operated robot has a temperature-controlled cargo bay, GPS tracking, wireless charging – and turns on a dime. It also has front and rear cameras so that the operator can avoid any obstacles.

But what’s it doing at London Drugs? Glad you asked. Here’s the headline, from the London Drugs news release:

London Drugs Delivery

As we inexorably head into the Internet of Things universe, connected devices like Roll-E will play an ever-greater role in daily life. In this case, InDro Robotics has teamed up for an innovative pilot project at the London Drugs Harris Green Village location in Victoria, BC.

The global pandemic has changed, perhaps permanently, business and consumer practices. Online ordering and curbside pickups have grown tremendously. So we’re excited about using Roll-E to deliver secure, contactless pickup to drivers collecting goods.

And so is London Drugs:

“With the ubiquity of curbside pickup services now available, we’re constantly looking at new ways to invest and adopt cutting-edge solutions that will serve our customers in the safest, easiest and most user-friendly ways possible,” says Clint Mahlman, London Drugs president and COO. “We’re excited to pilot ROLL-E at our Harris Green Village store and further explore the full range of applications that this technology can add to our services in Victoria and at other locations throughout Western Canada.”

The UGV advantage

Though there’s a lot of potential for drone delivery (and more on this in a moment), current regulations make flying drones – particularly operating drones beyond the visual line of sight of the pilot in urban centres – difficult. The rules exist for very good reasons, including the protection of people, property and airspace.

Uncrewed Ground Vehicles are different. They operate on sidewalks or paths, not in airspace. The remote operator has a clear view of surroundings at all times, and pedestrians are given the right-of-way. InDro’s UGVs are all electrically powered, meaning zero emissions. InDro also received permission from Victoria’s municipal authorities, who are onboard with this pilot project.

This isn’t InDro’s first collaboration with London Drugs. In an earlier trial carried out in conjunction with Canada Post and Salt Spring Island’s Country Grocer, InDro demonstrated the ability to quickly and securely deliver prescription drugs to remote locations far faster than it would be possible to deliver via ground vehicles or by boat. Such aerial deliveries, especially in medical emergencies, could be life-saving. In that pilot project, drones were the appropriate tool because the locations were remote and did not involve congested urban airspace.

We’re still quite proud of that project, and you’ll see why here:

 

 

Roll-E’s a smart machine

 

Just as you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can’t judge robotic capabilities from the exterior. Roll-E contains the same brains as our proprietary InDro Commander module. This gives Roll-E the capability to eventually carry out fully autonomous missions, including mapping unfamiliar environments as it travels. Even machine learning and machine vision – where, for example, Roll-E is able to detect and act on the signals at a crosswalk – are all possible within this framework.

For now, though, Roll-E will be operated by a careful and conscientious human being working behind-the-scenes. Roll-E will be loaded inside the store for curbside delivery, then make its way to the appointed pick-up spot. It has a range of about nine kilometres on a single wireless charge, but Roll-E won’t be going far from home during this pilot project.

London Drugs has pulled together a great little Q&A, which you can find it here. If you’d like to see the entire news release, it’s here. (And if you’re really into this, you can check out CTV News coverage of the project.)

 

InDro’s Take

As an R&D company, we take considerable pride in the products we conceive, design and manufacture. It’s no different with Roll-E, which will help London Drugs customers at this particular Victoria location save time on pick-up. We also value our corporate partnerships – so we’re pleased to be taking part in this pilot project. We have a sense that for Roll-E, this is just the beginning.

“London Drugs has a track record of innovation, embracing new technologies that could help with efficiency and customer experience,” says Philip Reece, CEO of InDro Robotics. “We’ve enjoyed great success working with London Drugs and others on our drone trials delivering prescription medications to remote communities. I anticipate that someday in the future, deliveries using robots – whether by air or ground – will be routine.”

If your company might benefit from the use or robots or drones for delivery, inspection, security or data acquisition, don’t be shy. You can reach us here. (And no matter how advanced our technology gets, we’ll always ensure that a real person gets back to you.)

 

 

InDro launches monthly newsletter

InDro launches monthly newsletter

Jan 20, 2022 | InDro Commander, InDro News, InDro Sentinel, Kate Klassen, Robotics, Scott Simmie

A word (or two) from InDro Robotics

 

Welcome to the first in a new series of monthly newsletters from the InDro Robotics team!

These newsletters will cover the latest news from InDro Robotics – including the inside story from our R&D facilities (at least the stuff we can tell you about!).

First up? The big news: We have officially released the new InDro “Commander” – a module that vastly simplifies the challenges of building and customizing a teleoperated UGV. Commander is about the size of a small toaster oven. It bolts onto any platform and simply connects with two wires for power.

But don’t let that simplicity fool you: This is one mighty box, containing not only an NVIDIA processor for Edge computing, but high-speed USB ports for sensor management. Just as importantly, it contains the Robot Operating System (ROS) libraries required to make everything work together.

You might have seen our news release announcing the product. If not, here’s a teaser:

InDro Robotics

(You can find the entire release, which includes links to images, a video and a complete story on the product, right here.)

“The product also leads the way with a unique feature for developers: It is a platform agnostic solution – meaning that it can work with any platform that developers need,” explains Anthony Guolla, a robotics engineer specializing in Client Sales and Support. 

“Whether your platform of choice is AgileX Robotics or any other major provider, The InDro Commander has your hardware, computer, and integration covered. InDro and our partners have already taken large strides in deploying real-world solutions accelerated by Commander and we are excited to share it with the rest of the world in 2022!” 

InDro Commander

Commander and Sentinel

 

If you’ve had a chance to read the release, you’ll know Commander evolved organically from our own work designing robots for clients and for R&D. Every time we went to integrate sensors and make the robot operational, we were running into common but time-consuming steps: Finding power for the sensors, installing Robot Operating System (ROS) software, and generally making the whole package work. (Trust us, there are a *lot* of steps involved.) 

Commander has been designed to eliminate the painstaking stuff, allowing you to quickly add the sensors of your choice and operate the robot using our web-based console. 

It has also allowed us to rapidly iterate new machines, and we’re particularly proud of a Commander-powered robot we call “Sentinel.”

 

Inspections, simplified

Inspection Robot

Sentinel is a purpose-built inspection and surveillance robot, ideally suited to applications like electrical substations. These are the places where the high-voltage power carried by transmission lines is stepped-down for delivery from the substation to homes and other customers. Such facilities are often located in remote areas, difficult to reach for regular inspections by human beings.

“Right now, highly trained technicians make lengthy journeys between sites and frequently arrive without the proper resources to solve the problem on-hand,” explains InDro Account Executive Luke Corbeth.

“Seldom are these inspections, which include meter reading, temperature control and checking equipment conditions, done as frequently as they could be. Without sufficient maintenance, equipment will fail and result in an outage, which is financially detrimental to business and inconvenient for consumers.”

With Sentinel, regular inspections can be carried out remotely by a human operator who is hundreds, even thousands of kilometres away via the internet. Using Sentinel’s Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera (with 20x optical zoom and thermal sensor), the operator can check out even the tiniest detail from afar.

Check out this image, taken from the web-based Sentinel Console:

Inspection Robot

Potential clients who have been given a sneak preview are impressed.

“We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response from partners and utility companies for this solution. As a result, we’re making it a priority to deploy more of this technology across North America in 2022,” says Corbeth.

Sentinel can be deployed on a number of platforms, depending on the terrain and user requirements. Our first Sentinel is based on the AgileX Bunker platform. We selected Bunker because it’s rugged and nearly impervious to inclement weather. The track-based locomotion system handles well in snow, mud and other challenging conditions and terrain. But Sentinel is also offered with wheels, and even quadripedal or other form factors.

If you’re interested in learning more about Sentinel’s capabilities, hit us up here.

Learning

 

InDro Robotics has long been a champion of quality instruction when it comes to drones. We believe in ensuring that prospective pilots have access to the very highest quality learning materials and methods, with Subject Matter Experts leading the way. We also believe in community, where those following a learning path can learn from, inspire, and support one another.

That’s why we’re particularly excited about an initiative we’re launching led by Kate Klassen. Kate, as you might already know, is a seasoned veteran of both crewed aviation and UAVs. She was a driving force behind the excellent educational work carried out by Coastal Drones – and is a member of the Canadian Drone Advisory Committee, also known as CanaDAC.

If you’re interested in obtaining your Remotely Piloted Aircraft Certificate, you can sign up here. (And, trust us on this, there’s much more to come!)

Drone Training

“I am so excited to be back in the instructor seat with new, up-to-date training to share with the industry,” says Klassen.

“Already this year we’ve launched ground school for basic pilots, updated our advanced ground school, have the first in a series of ‘Flyy Guides’ published and are creating a community space for more casual learning and sharing with others in the industry. And this is just us getting started!”

From the top

Finally, a word from CEO Philip Reece.

“This is going to be a very exciting year at InDro Robotics. Commander is a hugely innovative solution to the hard work of building robots – and end-users have already seen tremendous efficiencies. Sentinel takes full advantage of the Commander module, meaning clients now have access to a proven teleoperated inspection solution that can be quickly modified with additional sensors and capabilities down the road. I’m immensely proud of the work InDro’s engineers have put into these solutions.

Wait, there’s more!

“InDro is also pleased about Kate’s forthcoming community platform, which will complement our learning portal. She is a total professional, and the hard work she has been putting in reflects this. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say we look forward to formally unveiling the full platform shortly.”

Give us a shout

Questions? Comments? We’re always happy to answer queries and read feedback. Hit us up here.

If you enjoyed reading this InDro Robotics news and would like to receive these bulletins automatically, click here. (Don’t worry, we only send these once a month.)