Indro Robotics builds Street Smart Inspection Robot for safe cycling in winter

Indro Robotics builds Street Smart Inspection Robot for safe cycling in winter

Oct 27, 2023 | InDro News, Scott Simmie, Smart Mobility, Street Smart Robot

By Scott Simmie

 

The safety of pedestrians and cyclists is important in any major city.

Bike lanes and crosswalks are the most obvious signs that we create infrastructure for this purpose. But there are limits to what that infrastructure can do.

Winter, for example, creates additional threats. Ice and snow are the most obvious problems, but potholes and deep puddles can also cause havoc – particularly for cyclists. Snow can accumulate quickly in a storm – and it’s not uncommon for snow plowed from the roadway to sometimes spill over into bike lanes (and even on sidewalks).

That’s part of the reason why Indro Robotics has built an innovative solution that will be put to the test this winter. It’s called the Street Smart Robot, or SSR – and it’s been designed from the ground up to help ensure safe winter cycling.

Below: A Wikimedia Commons image, taken in Whitehorse by Anthony DeLorenzo. Cyclists in Canada are a hardy bunch.

SSR Winter cyclist

STREET SMART ROBOT

 

The catalyst for the SSR is a research and development partnership fund called the Wintertech Development Program. According to the program website, Wintertech “supports Ontario small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their partners to validate, test, prototype, and demonstrate new products and technologies designed to meet the unique demands of winter weather conditions.”

Wintertech is run by OVIN, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network. That’s a province of Ontario initiative which “capitalizes on the economic potential of advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions such as connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies, while enabling the province’s transportation and infrastructure networks to plan for and adapt to this evolution.”

And while bicycles aren’t connected and autonomous vehicles (at least yet), we felt robotics could play a role in helping to ensure the safety of cyclists in the Smart City of the future. Specifically, we thought an autonomous robot equipped with the right sensors and processing might help to detect safety issues in bike lanes in the winter.

“The idea behind the robot is we want to prolong the use of bike lanes in Ottawa, but also ensure the safety of bike lanes in Ottawa,” explains Indro Robotics Account Executive Luke Corbeth.

“There’s really two parts to this: The first is a machine vision element to see if conditions are good enough for biking – no ice, not too many leaves, etc. On the safety side, the Street Smart Robot is more concerned with detecting things like potholes and cracks. And the idea is if you’re able to identify those things, the right resources can be deployed faster and more efficiently to solve the problem in a timely manner.”

So that’s the idea behind the SSR. Now, let’s take a look at the technology.

Below: A look at the specs of the AgileX Bunker Pro platform. We’ve upgraded the battery for a four-hour run time:

Bunker Pro Robot

BUILT TOUGH

 

If you’re going to be out and about in an Ottawa winter – where temperatures have reached as low as -33°C – you need a platform suitable for the environment. InDro selected the AgileX Bunker Pro as the starting point.

With an IP67 Ingress Protection rating, the Bunker Pro is highly impervious to water and particulate matter – which it will encounter in abundance on Ottawa streets. The treads give an edge over wheels when it comes to navigating over ice, snow and potholes. With a full charge, the platform can run for some four hours – even when it’s cold out.

But the platform is just the start. InDro engineers had to put considerable thought into the kinds of sensors that would help the Street Smart Robot carry out its task while safely avoiding cyclists, pedestrians, or other obstacles it might encounter. And that began with four wide-angle pinhole cameras.

“The pinholes are just to give the operator a better understanding of their environment and situational awareness,” explains Corbeth. And while we say “operator” here, it might be more appropriate to say “observer.” Though initial deployments will involve teleoperation, the SSR has been built to carry out its tasks autonomously. We anticipate that down the road (or bike path), a person will simply be involved in monitoring missions in case human intervention is required.

That autonomy will be carried out by a combination of computing power, our InDro Autonomy software stack, and a plethora of sensors.

 

SENSORS, SENSORS, SENSORS

 

The Street Smart Robot is equipped with front- and rear-facing depth cameras. These cameras have two visual sensors each, placed roughly the same distance apart as human eyes. That separation – as in human vision – allows the SSR to perceive the world in depth. Onboard computation (we’ll get to that) calculates how far obstacles might be in the robot’s immediate surroundings, and whether it needs to slow down, stop or change course to avoid obstacles.

The depth cameras are supplemented by two 270° 2D LiDAR sensors – which are devoted almost exclusively to obstacle avoidance and safety. There are two additional 3D LiDARS, placed to assist with Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, as well as a GPS and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). There’s even a Range Finder that can detect how far an object is off the ground.

“If you have an overhanging tree branch, for example, you could see where it is and see if it obscures the bike lane,” says Corbeth. “We’ve never used a Range Finder before, but could see it would be useful in this application.”

In addition, there’s a thermal/30X optical Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera, complete with a windshield wiper for those sloppy days.

Below: Check out what the SSR has on board.

Inspection Robot

SENSING, AND MAKING SENSE OF, ITS ENVIRONMENT

 

All of those sensors are great. But they don’t do a lot on their own. They require software and computational power to give their data meaning. Here, the SSR has a Jetson ORIN AGX for EDGE computing. The ROS2 operating system software lives onboard in InDro Commander – a module we’ve created for rapid integration of sensors and 5G remote operations. Commander can be thought of as the glue that holds everything together.

But still, there’s the issue of making sense of the data. How will the Street Smart Robot identify ice, water, leaves, snow, potholes, debris etc? And how will it determine whether they are significant enough to require a City of Ottawa maintenance crew to take action?

Here, the SSR will be going to school. And by that, we mean a combination of Machine Vision and Machine Learning will teach it what’s worth reporting and what isn’t. One way is to take actual images you expect to see on the bike path and identify which ones are significant and which can be ignored.

“For example, you could mount a camera on an actual bicycle and then use that dataset to train the robot,” says Corbeth. “But there are a couple of approaches. There’s also obviously the simulation element. You can use specific engines that have high-fidelity graphics to simulate possible different environments in high resolution. And you can use that simulated data for training.”

 

THEN WHAT?

 

In the early stages, there will be a human operator at the helm. They’ll likely see some of those obstacles with the pinhole cameras, but from the start we anticipate that the onboard AI will trigger an alert for the operator. Once the operator confirms that the image is worthy of the attention of a maintenance crew, they will contact the city directly.

That’s how things will start. Once we’ve established a high confidence level that the Machine Vision is correctly identifying anomalies, that process can be automated. The SSR will be programmed to automatically send an alert to the city, complete with a captured image of the potential problem and GPS coordinates.

“It’s the idea of anomaly detection – detecting and flagging anomalies. The SSR will also likely be able to identify the severity of the anomaly on a one-to-five scale. And because you have the GPS onboard, the exact location of the problem can be relayed to the city.”

Below: The SSR, during its public unveiling at the TCXpo exhibition in June. Front and rear view, to show off all its bits…

 

Street Smart Robot

ON THE SHOULDERS OF SENTINEL

 

Every technical achievement owes something to its predecessors. And that’s no different with the Street Smart Robot.

InDro Robotics previously built Sentinel, a workhorse for remote asset inspection. That robot incorporated an AgileX Bunker platform, an InDro Commander integration module for sensors and remote teleoperations, and several other sensors. It’s a great robot that has proven itself in the most demanding conditions.

The Street Smart Robot builds on the success and learnings of Sentinel with additional compute power, many more sensors, a more robust design and extended operational range. And that opens the SSR up to many other tasks beyond bicycle paths.

“That’s what really excites me about this project – the idea that this technology is transferable across other inspection verticals,” says Corbeth. “This particular robot could be used in agriculture, and the track platform is really good in mining. I could envision this exact same robot in those two verticals, and others.”

 

THE 5G CONNECTION

 

When dealing with multiple sensors in real-time, a solid data bandwidth is crucial. Here, SSR is outfitted with a high-speed modem and special antennaes for optimizing 5G and 4G signals. And while the Street Smart Robot can be operated over 4G, it’s 5G that offers the pipeline necessary for the data to really flow. InDro’s continuing partnership with Rogers will ensure that the SSR has access to Canada’s largest and most reliable 5G network.

Both InDro and Rogers are contributing a significant amount of development money as part of the OVIN Wintertech program. The total value of the project is estimated at $1,395,000. InDro Robotics and Rogers Communications are contributing two–thirds of the total project value ($780,000 and $150,000). Support from the Government of Ontario, through OVIN, totals $465,000 or one-third of the project. 

Below: Innovations in the InDro Sentinel paved the way for the Street Smart Robot. This image was taken at the opening of the Drone and Advanced Robot Training and Testing facility (DARTT) in June of 2023. That’s Luke Corbeth holding the microphone.

Sentinel water DARTT

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re pretty excited about the SSR. As Luke Corbeth says: “It’s a bad-ass robot.”

And it is. But we’re also excited about the project itself.

The Smart City of the future will have connected, embedded sensors (including on robots) helping with everything from traffic flow to updated weather and road conditions. Cyclists are a big part of any major urban centre, and the prospect of helping to ensure their safety appeals to us. It’s also an opportunity to really hone in on Machine Vision and Machine Learning as InDro trains the SSR for its task.

“Smart Cities are on their way, and it’s great to be involved in yet another project as we build the capacity for the future,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“The Street Smart Robot has an important role to play, and could well be the template for anomaly detection and road maintenance at scale in the future. We’re grateful to OVIN and its Wintertech program for selecting this project for development; we’re excited to see what the SSR can do.”

InDro plans to start testing the SSR during the winter, with the project stretching to June of 2024. We’ll be writing more once the robot hits the bike paths.

TCXpo brings Canada’s Smart Mobility leaders to Area X.O September 27

TCXpo brings Canada’s Smart Mobility leaders to Area X.O September 27

Sep 21, 2023 | Scott Simmie, Smart Mobility, TCXpo, Transport Canada, Uncategorized

By Scott Simmie

 

Canada’s premiere exhibit and demonstration of Smart Mobility technologies is coming up soon – September 27, to be precise. And InDro Robotics will be one of scores of Canadian companies demonstrating innovative products and processes.

This is the second TCXpo since its inauguration in 2022.

“TCXpo will bring together hundreds of innovators, entrepreneurs, technology developers, industry leaders, regulators, smart mobility partners and stakeholders from Canada’s Capital and across the country,” explains the Area X.O website.

“In partnership with Transport Canada (TC), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), FedDev Ontario and event sponsors, TCXpo will bring together more than 70 Canadian companies to host live technology demonstrations at Area X.O. TCXpo will create an exclusive opportunity for invited guests to experience the power and impact of cutting-edge Canadian technologies, including many preparing for global markets.”

InDro is pleased to be participating – and we’ve got a lot of cool things lined up for the show.

Here’s a look at a few highlights from last year’s event – including some of the really intriguing technologies on display:

InDro at TCXpo

 

Before we get into what InDro will be up to, it’s worth explaining the name of the event. “TC” stands for Transport Canada, which is a lead sponsor of the event. The regulator is interested, obviously, in the field of Smart Mobility – including drones, autonomous passenger-carrying vehicles and ground robotics. These technologies will all play increasing roles in the future, eventually becoming blended with existing infrastructure and traditional ground and air transportation.

The “X” stands for the location – Ottawa’s Area X.O.

Operated by Invest Ottawa, Area X.O is a research and development complex that is home to some of Canada’s leading R&D companies in the Smart Mobility space (including InDro Robotics). The facility is tailor-made for companies working on next-gen technology, complete with its own 5G network and private roads that can be used by Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. For companies building and testing next-gen technology, there’s nothing like being able to take robots and drones under development directly outside for test runs. It’s routine, when visiting Area X.O, to see all manner of robots and driverless vehicles being tested. It’s also where InDro has located its R&D headquarters, with a large engineering team.

 

WHAT INDRO WILL BE SHOWING

 

We’ve got quite a few things on tap for TCXpo.

We’ll be demonstrating a number of robots InDro has developed, including Sentinel. The teleoperated workhorse has been designed for remote monitoring and surveillance. It’s ideally suited to locations like electrical substations, which are normally located far from urban centres and would generally require a human being to travel to the site for regular check-ups. With robots like Sentinel, an operator can control the robot via a dashboard from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away.

Thermal and close-up visual inspections can be carried out to look for any anomalies – without the time and expense of dispatching a person. Once the inspection is complete, Sentinel can automatically dock with a wireless charging system so that it’s ready for the next mission.

Though we’ve demonstrated Sentinel in the past, this year we’ll be showing new capabilities with its GPS Waypoint Autonomy software. This enables an operator to set up a repeatable routine using waypoints, allowing Sentinel to carry out missions with a human simply monitoring operations rather than remotely operating them.

Below: Sentinel, equipped with InDro Commander

 

Autonomous Robot

STREET SMART ROBOT

 

This is under wraps until TCXpo, but InDro Robotics will be unveiling a new Smart City robot, specifically designed to help monitor the conditions of bicycle lanes during winter. Whether it’s snow, ice, potholes or debris that might interfere with safe cycling, our Street Smart Robot will be able to detect problems so that city staff can be notified. We’ll be revealing details about this new creation – and you’ll be able to see it first-hand. A number of people have made comparisons with the design to the Tesla Cybertruck; we look forward to hearing your own impressions.

 

INDRO PILOT DEMONSTRATION

 

InDro Pilot is a hardware and software solution that literally gives superpowers to Enterprise Drones with Pixhawk flight controllers. Similar to InDro Commander, the hardware side includes a bolt-on module that contains a powerful EDGE computer, Robot Operating System (ROS1 and ROS2) software libraries, along with USB ports and power supplies to enable the rapid integration of other sensors.

But that’s not all. InDro Pilot has been designed to stream even highly dense data to the ground and cloud securely and simultaneously over 5G networks via a *really* high-speed modem. The software includes an easy-to-use dashboard for both manual and automated flights, including customizable windows for the output of each sensor.

Thinking about Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights? InDro Pilot is ready. Whether the operator is down the block or across the country, operations with virtually zero latency can be carried out over 5G. In addition, InDro Pilot includes a software-defined radio. This allows the automated broadcast of the drone’s altitude and position directly to nearby crewed aircraft over standard RF. In applications for Special Flight Operations Certificates, this capability is viewed as mitigating risk and making BVLOS safer.

Want to integrate additional sensors? No problem. The InDro Pilot software includes drag-and-drop modules for virtually any sensor you can imagine. Even a winch can be added – with the controls ready to go. The screengrab below is taken directly from our software. (If you’d like to take a deeper dive into the capabilities of the InDro Pilot system, you’ll find a comprehensive story here.)

INDRO FORGE

 

The other big development on our end recently has been an expansion. InDro Robotics and Invest Ottawa have formed a strategic partnership that sees InDro Robotics taking over the management and operations of the facility previously known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab. The cutting-edge design and fabrication lab will now be known as InDro Forge – and will expand its offerings to include limited production runs and other specialty one-off fabrication.

The addition of InDro Forge to our portfolio means more options for inventors, entrepreneurs and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) looking for assistance with the design and production of high-quality prototypes. Clients can literally walk in with a napkin sketch and work with the InDro Forge team toward a polished industrial design, followed by fabrication using some of the specialty on-site machines and processes. Those include:

  • CNC machining
  • Silicone and urethane casting
  • Multi-element 3D printing (including metal)
  • Electronics and Printed Circuit Board fabrication and analysis

Though InDro Forge is located at Bayview Yards, we’ll be talking about its capabilities at TCXpo. If you’re interested in a detailed look, ask us if we can line you up with a tour. (And if you’d like to read about InDro Forge in greater detail, check out this post.)

 

DARTT

 

Plus, don’t forget about DARTT – Canada’s only Drone and Advanced Robot Training and Testing facility. Located at Area X.O, DARTT is designed to put ground robots through tests that conform to the rigorous criteria established by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). There are multiple surfaces designed to challenge agility, Ingress Protection, and incline capabilities. There’s also a huge netted enclosure to safely pilot and test drones, including those with new or experimental features that might normally require an SFOC if flown outside the confines of DARTT.

Team InDro will be running demos at DARTT throughout the day, including offering TCXpo attendees the opportunity to remotely operate a ground robot – and even pilot a drone. InDro operates the DARTT facility, and can also carry out RPAS Flight Reviews and custom training at the site.

If you think DARTT sounds cool, you’re absolutely right. How cool? Well, take a look at this:

 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

TCXpo is a great place to showcase technology, and we’re looking forward to demonstrating our latest innovations. But there’s much more to see than just InDro.

“TCXpo is a tremendous event for Canada’s Smart Mobility space,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “Transport Canada, Invest Ottawa and other sponsors really understand the transformative potential of these technologies and want to help showcase the industry-at-large. We’re pleased to participate, along with scores of other companies in this emerging sector.”

It’s actually a pretty big week in Ottawa. The day after TCXpo, Area X.O will host the annual CAV Canada event, a day of demonstrations, knowledge-sharing and networking devoted to Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the companies that power them. Philip Reece will be hosting a panel at this year’s CAV Canada.

Finally, if you’re interested in attending TCXpo, you can register for free right here.

 

Smart Mobility companies invited to TCXpo 2023

Smart Mobility companies invited to TCXpo 2023

Aug 3, 2023 | Area X.O, Industry News, Scott Simmie, Smart Mobility, TCXpo

By Scott Simmie

 

We’re already excited. And we’ve blocked off September 27, 2023 in the InDro calendar.

Why’s that? It’s because that’s the day of the second TCXpo – a demo day and networking event featuring Canadian companies in the Smart Mobility space – will take place. The inaugural TCXpo, which took place at Area X.O in Ottawa, was amazing. And the second one will be even bigger and better.

The event is the only one of its kind in Canada. And it brings together cutting-edge companies with Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (ground robots, drones, cars) and related technologies. This year, more than 70 companies will demonstrate their products to the industry, investors, and government agencies in this space. 

Below: Some of the fun from the inaugural TCXpo in 2022:

Canada Robotics

A CANADIAN SHOWCASE

 

The goal of TCXpo is to demonstrate Smart Mobility technology. And Area X.O is the perfect venue. The R&D complex, operated by Invest Ottawa, is a private facility. It has its own Smart City infrastructure, including a dedicated 5G network. There are roads, traffic lights, railroad crossings – most of the things you’d find in an urban environment – except this site is dedicated for robots, drones and other Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs). 

Now, picture a drone dropping a payload attached to a steerable parachute that can land within metres of the desired target. Envision an autonomous car, braking when a mock pedestrian appears before its path. Or a completely amphibious robot, capable of operating in water, on ice and snow, doing its thing for spectators.

All of these happened in 2022. And there will be even more at this year’s event.

“TCXpo is a tremendous opportunity for Canadian companies to showcase their products,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece (who was the person in charge of all aerial operations at the 2022 event). “This is such a forward-looking event. Many of the products shown here will play a role in the Smart City of the future.”

The event is put on by Invest Ottawa, Transport Canada, FedDev Ontario, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), as well as other event sponsors (including InDro Robotics, one of the lead private contributors). 

And for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), it’s a major opportunity. Here’s how Area X.O describes what to expect:

“TCXpo will create an exclusive opportunity for invited guests to experience the power and impact of cutting-edge Canadian technologies, including many preparing for global markets. Companies large and small from Canada’s capital and across the country will showcase connected and autonomous vehicles, drones, smart-city solutions, IoT (Internet of Things), robotic technology, agri-tech innovations, and more. The showcased applications will span every sector of our economy – from intelligent transportation to defence, public safety, smart farming, telecommunications, cleantech, environment, and smart cities.”

Below: InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece speaking at the 2022 event

 

InDro Robotics

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

 

Interested in getting your Smart Mobility product or service in front of the people and companies that count? Looking for investment? TCXpo is the place.

And the good news? Unlike expensive trade shows, those companies accepted can set up a display for free. (And while there’s truly no such thing as a free lunch, some really great food trucks showed up last year to feed the nearly 900 people who registered.)

 

GREAT! HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

 

So glad you asked. First of all, have a good read about the event – including some metrics on attendance, media coverage and more – right here. If you think your company is a fit, head right over to the Area X.O intake form and let them know you’re interested. The deadline for applications is August 18.

It’s also worth noting that TCXpo takes place during Smart Mobility week in Ottawa. There are numerous other events, including the country’s premier Smart Mobility Conference – CAV Canada – taking place the same week.

Below: Check out highlights from TCXpo 2022

INDRO’S TAKE

 

We’re obviously big fans of TCXpo – and a key corporate sponsor. But there’s another reason we’re particularly excited about the 2023 event.

“The new Drone and Advanced Robot Training and Testing facility – which we call DARTT – officially opened in June,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “This will enable some truly great demonstrations of ground robots navigating challenging obstacles, as well as the ability to showcase new drone technologies within a safe netted enclosure.”

InDro – and all of our many robots and drones – will be at TCXpo 2023. We hope to see you there, as well!

Women leaders in Smart Mobility discuss the future

Women leaders in Smart Mobility discuss the future

Mar 31, 2023 | Industry News, Kate Klassen, Smart Mobility, Stacey Connors

By Scott Simmie

 

Some of the leading women in the Smart Mobility space got together to discuss progress, and even roadblocks, as the interconnected world of intelligent devices that will make up Smart Mobility moves ever closer.

The gathering was a live, virtual event entitled “Women Driving the Smart Mobility Revolution.” It was part of International Women’s Week and it brought together leading experts from Canada, the US and beyond. The event was hosted by Invest Ottawa, with sponsorship from Area X.O, BDC, MDK Business Law, Rogers and Women Automotive Technology.

Before we hop into some highlights of the discussion, it’s worth taking a look at what the term Smart Mobility means. Is it electric vehicles, capable of eventual autonomous operation? Is it drones, dispatched over 5G to deliver goods and services? Is it Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGVs, or ground robots) delivering food, pharmaceuticals and other supplies to homes and businesses? Ride sharing networks? Infrastructure that helps enable these technologies?

The answer is all of the above – and more. Smart Mobility, according to one succinct definition, “integrates all modes of transportation via wireless communications and applies real-time data analytics and machine learning to make transportation safer and more efficient.”

We think there would be widespread agreement that making transportation safer and more efficient is a worthwhile goal. And while there are some examples of Smart Mobility devices out in the world already, we’re heading toward an era of more widespread adoption.

But how long will that take? How will we get there? What will it look like?

All good questions. And there were some great answers from the three panels that took place during the event.

PROMISES, PROMISES

 The event kicked off with a ‘fireside chat’ with one of the top experts in the field: Selika Josiah Talbott.

Selika is the Founder and CEO of Autonomous Vehicle Consulting. She’s a lawyer who practiced for 18 years as a product liability defence attorney, representing OEMs in automotive cases. From there she was appointed Deputy Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, with 1800 employees and a $200M annual budget. She was first introduced to autonomous vehicles in 2010, and is an expert on regulatory and policy implications of EVs and Smart Mobility.

Like the rest of us, she’s heard the hype. Moderator and automotive journalist Petrina Gentile kicked things off with a basic question: Where are we now?

“That’s the $64,000 question,” said Selika. “The industry has been saying for the better part of 10-plus years that ‘It’s just around the corner.’ There’s now frustration – this thing you’ve been promising us isn’t here and it doesn’t appear to be around the corner.”

But that doesn’t mean we can’t at least see the beginnings of that corner.

“Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are being much more widely used across the globe,” she said. “There are thirteen ports around the world – mostly in China, of course – that are using some sort of Autonomous Vehicle expertise to meet port needs.”

She also pointed out that AVs are also making inroads in industries such as mining and farming. Robot deliveries have started, and she anticipates great inroads here “as we start to deliver groceries and medicines to people who are not able to go and get it themselves.”

 

Below: Moderator Petrina Gentile listens during the ‘fireside chat’ with Selika Josiah Talbott

Selikah

EQUITY

Selika clearly thinks about this field a lot. And she’s very passionate about the big picture beyond the nuts and bolts of the technology. Specifically, any successful Smart Mobility strategy must be equitable and accessible for all. Her mantra, she says, is “Transportation is mobility; mobility is freedom.

“Transportation is the real equaliser,” she emphasises. “If I don’t have an opportunity to get to school, to get that education, if I live someplace where transportation is limited, how do I access medical care? … Whether it’s your home, your food, education, your job – every single thing that we do requires some form of transportation. So my work is centered around the movement of people, goods, and most importantly information.”

She continued: “What happens if I’m differently abled? Or if in the community I’m in there’s a shortage of labour, or I can’t afford the maintenance, upkeep, care and purchase of my own private vehicle? … An autonomous vehicle can fit those needs.”

Accessible public transport, she says, must be part of any successful Smart Mobility strategy, and must be an integral part of a Smart City in the future.

 

AND AN ASIDE

Selika Josiah Talbott is an African American woman. Moderator Gentile asked her about her experience as a Person of Colour during her career – and if there had been any ways in which she had been treated differently as a professional.

“I don’t dwell on them,” said Selika. “But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting. I’ve represented OEMs, vehicle manufacturers, back in the 90s. When we had conferences and board meetings, I was not allowed to sit at the table. I had to sit at the back wall. I might have been representing you…but I was not at the table for what we have deemed as cultural reasons.

“We didn’t (push back). We accepted it, and we moved on. I made sure that I was the best that I could be in that space.”

Below: The next panel on the agenda

International Womens Week

PANEL ONE

After Selika’s presentation, it was on with the program. Specifically, a panel called “Driving the future of advanced technology in logistics.”

This was a broad-ranging discussion, starting with a question from the moderator: How do you see drone technology evolving over the next five years?

Stacey Connors, InDro’s Head of Strategic Innovations, offered some examples of where this company has been – and how those set the stage for the future.

“Some of the neat deployments may exemplify where the industry is going,” she said. “We participated in a pilot where we delivered defibrillators.” That trial took place in conjunction with Renfrew County Paramedics in Ontario. Rural locations were chosen to stage a cardiac incident, using a medical dummy. A mock 911 call was placed, and then an InDro drone carrying an automated external defibrillator was dispatched. At the same time, a paramedic crew raced to the location in an EMS vehicle.

The goal? To see which could deliver the product more quickly in a scenario where every minute that passes following a cardiac event diminishes the possibility of survival. The result?

“We were seven minutes faster,” said Connors. In fact, that was the average over multiple runs.

Connors went on to predict routine contactless delivery of medical supplies to hospitals, as well as the rise of connected inventories – where the supply chain is transformed by automation, AI and Big Data working in synergy.

“This concept of connected inventories will dramatically change supply chains and open a lot of opportunities,” said Connors. “InDro Robotics specifically is leaning into this and building out some solutions for inventory management, cycle counting. Because that inventory accuracy is absolutely critical if you want to open up a connected inventory or connected supply chain.

“The other interesting application definitely connected… is the capabilities of the private networks and 5G. I think a lot of people have not yet realised the full capabilities that these private networks will offer…it opens up so many opportunities for teleoperations.”

 

THE RISE OF AI

One of the other topics was the seemingly exponential advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Will AI advance logistics – or potentially create problems? The consensus appeared to be that AI will lead to better decision-making and efficiences. It was also suggested that we are currently merely at the dawn of where AI will take the world.

Vivian Sun is the Chief Commercial Officer at Waabi, a company specialising in autonomous trucking. She describes herself as “a big fan” of ChatGPT and uses it regularly. She believes AI (which is already part of the core of the Waabi Driver system) will lead to safer and more reliable Smart Mobility systems.

“This wave of AI technology has been reaching more users than before,” said Sun – adding that this is only the beginning.

“This is the iPhone moment of AI history,” she said.

Hearing Sun speak about Waabi sparked us to take a closer look at the company. It’s up to some very cool stuff. And, as you’ll see in this video, AI is integral to Waabi Driver:

DRONES, ROBOTS

When we think of a Smart Mobility world, there’s no question that robots, drones and other forms of Uncrewed Aerial Systems come to mind. Moving critical supplies – or even people – with automated, renewable systems will definitely be part of the not-so-distant future.

“Honestly, they (drones and robots) mean two specific things: Efficiency and convenience,” said Mohammed Abu-Shaaban, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder, Kirality Drones. The Ontario-based company specialises in making drone deliveries at golf courses.

“The implementation of robots and drones is a target to achieve ultimate efficiency in day-to-day operations and also to provide the element of convenience to lay people – to anyone that just needs it. Say a robotic lawn mower. You don’t want to mow the lawn? It takes that mundane task away. Or conducting deliveries…”

At the moment, drone operators in Canada can obtain one of two licenses from Transport Canada: Basic or Advanced. But as drones – and drone operations – become ever more complex, it was suggested training needs to keep pace to ensure pilots have the skills for highly specialised operations. InDro’s Kate Klassen, who has deep expertise in traditional aviation and is also InDro’s Chief Flight Instructor, suggests the time has come for specialised training and certification in the drone and robot fields.

“Aside from the drone pilot certifications that we have in Canada, there really aren’t any skill-set specific certifications that you can achieve,” said Klassen, InDro’s Strategy and Implementation specialist. “It’s worked up until this point but the industry’s maturing to a point where standards beyond that government pilot certification, or for roles beyond the pilot, are going to be desired and needed.”

Klassen went on to suggest the time has come for specialised training and credentials for the more complex tasks (and technology) currently seen in the industry.

“I’d love to see some industry-recognised certifications within those specific niches – so like inspection, whether that’s commercial or industrial, doing work at advertised events, working in really cold operations…even things that are not direct pilot roles, like support roles for BVLOS operations. Those micro-credentials, apprenticeships, allow people to demonstrate that they’re competent and have that competitive advantage when they’re trying for roles.”

 

AND THE FUTURE?

There was widespread consensus on the panel – as you might expect – that drones, robots and other Uncrewed Aerial Systems will continue to grow in sophistication and use-cases. The use of drones during the pandemic to move supplies (and the use of ground robots for contactless delivery) has opened to door to public acceptance.

“The pandemic really represented for us was just: How do people get stuff?” observed Bronwyn Morgan, Founder and CEO of complex drone service provider Xeo Air and Airversity Drone Pilot Academy.

“I think it demonstrated why drone delivery, specifically, will be a thing in the future,” she said.

But Smart Mobility isn’t just about drones and robots. New and larger uncrewed aircraft that will one day ferry heavy cargo and even people over urban centres and to nearby communities not currently or efficiently served by traditional aviation are in development and testing. Air taxis and Vertiports (urban airports for eVTOL aircraft) are considered by many to be integral to Smart Mobility and Smart Cities of the future.

But don’t expect this on the immediate horizon.

“It’s a lot further away than people think,” said Morgan. “These are new aircraft. They have to demonstrate flight hours, safety… All you need is one incident for the whole thing to be shut down.”

Morgan predicted that cargo drones will be on the scene by 2030, “and probably not until 2035 until we see air taxis, business models, vertiports… It will be some years.”

Below: During the pandemic, InDro carried out regular Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights for a First Nations community in BC’s Gulf Islands. Transporting COVID test supplies by drone meant a local healthcare worker could remain at the clinic with clients, rather than spending hours on the ferry hand-carrying these supplies. Operations like this are certain to become more commonplace in a world of Smart Mobility.

INDRO’S TAKE…

With a growing number of drone and ground robotics innovations and solutions, InDro is well-poised for the coming wave of Smart Mobility. A connected, sustainable future with greater efficiencies is in everyone’s interest.

We applaud Invest Ottawa for putting together this event during International Women’s Week, and were pleased to see two of our valued InDro employees as panelists.

“There are a growing number of women holding senior positions in the robotics and drone space, but there’s room – a lot of room – for more,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “As Smart Mobility continues to grow, we hope to see greater gender equity in the field – and will continue to support women across this space. There are a lot of challenges and opportunities ahead, and this industry needs the best people possible.”

If you’d like to watch the panels, you’ll find them here.