ABB Bolsters AI Robotics Capabilities Through Sevensense Acquisition
ABB Advances Into Future of AI-Enhanced Mobile Robotics with the Takeover of Sevensense
ABB has announced the strategic acquisition of Sevensense, a Swiss start-up renowned for its cutting-edge AI and 3D vision navigation systems tailored for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Originating as a spin-off from ETH Zurich in 2018, Sevensense has positioned itself at the forefront of AI navigation technology.
The integration of Sevensense into ABB's portfolio marks a significant step towards the evolution of next-generation artificial intelligence in robotics across various sectors, including logistics and manufacturing.
ABB will implement Sevensense’s AI and 3D vision navigation technology into its AMR portfolio. Image used courtesy of ABB
Sevensense's Pioneering Visual SLAM Technology
Sevensense elevates robotic perception through its groundbreaking Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) framework. This innovative technology equips robots with the capacity to perceive and interpret their environment comprehensively. As the robot moves through a space, an array of visual cameras captures sequential images, generating an intricate 3D map of the environment. The robot can assess its location within this dynamic map by continuously comparing new images to the existing ones, achieving instantaneous and precise location identification.
The mapping process with Sevensense's Visual SLAM is dynamic and perpetual. It constantly refines the 3D maps with real-time updates, embracing even minute changes in the surroundings on both floor levels and elevated planes. The maps mature and adapt seamlessly as new environmental elements and layout alterations are encountered by the robot.
This seamless and automated mapping technique ensures highly accurate, ultra-efficient localization. Sevensense has perfected localization to within a 4 mm threshold, propelling this technological feat to the forefront of the industry and marking the advent of a new age in swift and precise robotic mapping.
An image showing AI-powered cameras see and adapt within a workplace. Image used courtesy of ABB
AI-Enhanced 3D Vision in Robotic Material Handling
The incorporation of AI-driven 3D vision into robotics has vast potential to transform material handling processes. This advanced technology offers precise navigational assistance to robots operating in ever-changing workspaces. By embedding 3D vision capabilities, robots gain a heightened level of precision in executing tasks involving the manipulation of objects—such as grasping, relocating, and assorting various items. These intelligent robots are designed to adjust to variations in object dimensions, promoting a flexible and streamlined approach to material management. Whether optimizing the workflow on production lines or streamlining storage and retrieval in warehouses, the implementation of three-dimensional interactive visual systems significantly augments operational proficiency.
With the acquisition of Sevensense, ABB seeks to bring innovations in AI-powered navigation to industries worldwide. Image used courtesy of ABB
Shaping the Horizon of Robotic Automation
The advent of Sevensense's AI-driven camera navigation technology ushers in a transformative era for sectors such as self-driving transport, advanced robotics, and intelligent surveillance systems. These AI-empowered cameras are poised to markedly improve capabilities in object detection, strategic route determination, and circumventing obstacles.
Sevensense strives to pioneer advancements in the realm of automation, aiming for more secure and proficient navigational capabilities and automating sequences. The company's technology is set to recalibrate the manner in which machinery interprets and traverses through working landscapes, offering new heights of flexibility and machine intellect.
ABB's commitment to spearheading innovation is underscored by its strategic alliance with Sevensense. Through active collaboration with innovative start-ups and academic institutions within its partnership network, ABB aspires to cultivate groundbreaking technologies that deliver tangible benefits to industries across the globe.
