Collaboration creates low-cost real-time localization for forklifts and warehouse vehicles
London and Hannover, September 29, 2021 – Slamcore, a leader in spatial intelligence software for robots and other autonomous machines, today announced a strategic partnership with SYNAOS, a specialist in smart intralogistics software solutions for logistics and factories. Together the two companies are announcing SYNA.OS VIEW, a low-cost, real time, spatial intelligence system for manually guided intralogistics vehicles (e.g., forklifts and warehouse vehicles). SYNA.OS VIEW addresses the growing demand for real-time location and tracking in busy logistics environments.
Efficiency is key in manufacturing and logistics and understanding the real-time location and operation of all assets allows better planning and more efficient operations. One significant challenge today is how manually guided vehicles, such as forklifts, can be cost effectively tracked and integrated with autonomous vehicles in logistics and manufacturing environments. Adding Visual SLAM to manually controlled vehicles allows this to happen in dynamic real-world environments.
SYNA.OS VIEW is a single unit that can be added to existing forklifts, vehicles, and machines to provide accurate real-time locations. The unit uses low-cost stereo cameras and an IMU sensor running on a small, embedded computer and can be simply retrofitted to most vehicles.
Slamcore’s spatial intelligence software delivers robust and precise localization ensuring the position of each vehicle is known at all times. Integrated via an SDK with SYNAOS’ onboard software, real-time location is constantly communicated with the SYNA.OS LOGISTICS control system through a standardized interface (VDA 5050).
Until now, the position of manually guided vehicles like forklifts could only be determined if the vehicles were fitted with expensive UWB positioning or LiDAR systems, often costing up to 15,000 euros. The cost of the SYNA.OS VIEW camera-based system is significantly lower, offers a wider range of potential applications, and can be easily installed on all kinds of vehicles.
“This collaboration shows the power and flexibility of our vision-based SLAM systems,” said Owen Nicholson, CEO of Slamcore. “Developed to provide low-cost, high-performance spatial intelligence for robots and autonomous machines, our software delivers accurate, robust Visual SLAM location and mapping to entirely new markets. SYNAOS offers the perfect platform for this type of solution, with expertise in intralogistics and leading customers in manufacturing and logistics markets.”
“Slamcore is one of the leading providers of localization, mapping and perception software that converts sensor data into spatial intelligence in real time,” says Dr. Timo Bänziger, Technical Entrepreneur SYNAOS. “We are the first to apply this vision technology to track logistics vehicles and implement real industrial applications applying the benefits of cutting-edge computer vision to manufacturing and logistics.”
About Slamcore
Robots, drones and autonomous machines need to efficiently locate themselves, map and understand their surroundings in real-time. Slamcore provides commercial-grade Spatial Intelligence software, which is accurate, robust and computationally efficient to manufacturers of robots, consumer electronics and devices worldwide. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) remains one of the hardest challenges for robot/product developers, consuming significant time, resources and hardware. Slamcore’s world-class visual inertial SLAM software, runs locally in real-time, on cost-effective hardware, delivering robust real-world performance in days instead of years. Slamcore software works out-of-the box with standard sensors/hardware and can be ported to a wide range of custom sensors/compute, letting developers concentrate on developing great products rather than struggling to solve real-time mapping and localization challenges.
About SYNAOS
SYNAOS harnesses the power of complexity and develops holistic software solutions for logistics centres and factories. Since 2018, specialists in artificial intelligence, machine learning and algorithms have been developing solutions for the control of autonomous intralogistics vehicles in the heart of Hanover, Germany. The first reference customers are Volkswagen AG and online retailer Connox.
The three SYNAOS founders Dr. Wolfgang Hackenberg (CEO), Dr. Lennart Bochmann (CPO) and Tobias Gagern (CTO) gained years of experience in the automotive industry as well as in the IT environment. This valuable know-how now flows fully into SYNAOS. An advisory board with top-class members and strong partners support SYNAOS in the practical implementation of its innovative ideas.
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Heather Fitzsimmons, Mindshare PR
650-279-4360