ANYbotics taps Velodyne to enhance autonomous robots’ navigation

Velodyne Lidar has announced ANYbotics will equip its autonomous robots with Velodyne Puck Lidar sensors.

Designed for dexterity, ANYbotics’ four-legged robot ANYmal autonomously navigates uneven industrial terrains. Its built-in depth sensors perceive obstacles in confined and open spaces. Additionally, ANYmal's inspection payload provides visual, thermal, and acoustic insights for machinery and infrastructure performance monitoring.

Puck Lidar sensors by Velodyne offer a real-time 3D perception of data for object tracking, mapping, and classification. With high-resolution image data and a wide vertical field of view, the sensors can detect the shape and movement of objects with low reflectivity, regardless of their composition.

ANYbotics will include Puck Lidar sensors in its robotic inspection module to help ANYmal map industrial environments, detect obstacles, and avoid potential collisions. The arrangement is of particular importance in low-light or rugged environments.

“Velodyne’s lidar sensors provide ANYmal with a constant stream of high-resolution, 3D information about its surroundings, helping the robot safely map and patrol complex and harsh environments,” said Daniel Lopez Madrid, team lead of perception at ANYbotics.

“The sensors enable precise localization and mapping capabilities our robots need to understand the physical environment they are operating in and any changes such as moving people and objects.”

Velodyne Lidar executive director Erich Smidt added, “ANYbotics robotic solutions excel at automating industrial inspections that provide plant operators information to maximize equipment uptime and improve safety. By using Velodyne’s lidar, their robots can autonomously navigate complex multi-story environments and find the quickest route to perform missions. During operation, the robot’s system can safely avoid obstacles and reliably move over rough terrain.”