Triton: positioning technology for mobile robots in e-commerce and Industry 4.0

Triton is Accerion’s unique localization system for indoor mobile robots in logistics and manufacturing environments. At sub-millimeter level, Triton boasts the world’s highest accuracy for mobile robot localization. Triton requires no infrastructure such as QR markers or laser guides. Triton works seamlessly in dynamic environments and continuously maps the floor.

Using our unique Texture Vision technology, Triton records images of the floor as it maps the warehouse or factory floor. Our advanced vision and machine learning algorithms convert the images to “fingerprints.” Then Triton sends the coordinates to the mobile robot’s navigation stack. Triton continuously recognizes changes in the floor and always gives relative tracking (visual odometry) between mapped lines. Triton improves robustness by replacing QR tags with virtual grid lines in E-commerce for Goods to Person and sorting operations. Triton uses continuous absolute positioning data and reduces the number of lost robots. Triton also enables fast commissioning, mapping at 500 square meters per hour per robot. Triton adds a layer of flexibility to high performance warehouse operations also, enabling driving outside the fenced area.

For the past year, we’ve worked on a R&D project with SICK Sensor Intelligence in Germany. We combined the best features of SICK’s LiDAR-LOC localization with Triton’s unique localization technology for an unbeatable, powerful solution for mobile robots. The combination of Accerion’s Triton and SICK's LiDAR-LOC means operators see great localization accuracy in robot docking, for example. Initialization is lightning-fast. There is easy localization in large maps and smooth adaptation in dynamic environments as well as improved driving on ramps and long corridors. We’ve done the research and the testing, and there is no localization application or challenge too hard to solve with our joint solution.

Triton localization system is unique as it requires no infrastructure such as QR markers or laser guides and, at a sub-millimeter level, Triton boasts the world’s highest accuracy. These attributes mean Triton works exceptionally well in dynamic environments such as parcel sortation facilities.

In 2021, Accerion’s customer, Prime Vision, landed a massive robotic sorting project in the United States. The challenge: increase flexibility and create smart, future-proof sorting centers. Triton is installed on all Prime Vision’s AMRs, and without it, Prime Vision literally could not have solved this challenge.

But together, we did. 800 mobile robots were installed in more than 50 sortation facilities across the U.S. With our high-performance solution, the end-customer increased productivity and throughput of parcels, allowing them to handle higher volumes with fewer people. And we did it all in six weeks.

Joining forces with Prime Vision, we provided a flexible and scalable solution for the client, and more locations will be upgraded throughout 2023 and the years to come.

John Jaspers, KUMATECH Business Developer: “We chose Triton because it is an infrastructure-free solution. What you see in production environments is that layout is changing all the time, so we had to have a way to navigate which was infrastructure-free with fast implementation and also fast, easy adjustments to the routing.

We chose Triton because the concrete floor is present at every production location. The environment is changing all the time, especially in production environments – stacks of pallets, products and changing machinery – but the concrete floor is always present. That’s why Triton is good for us.

We are able to drive in a very fast way with less changes. Working with Accerion’s team is the same as working together in our organization. They are local, easy to talk to, easy to reach fast answers. This works very well for us.”

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