Case Studies
Giving Robots Real-time Vision and Depth Perception for Navigation, Person-Tracking, and Surveillance
When it comes to performing dangerous missions for military personnel and first responders, robots are fast, efficient, and reliable. Around the world, autonomous and semi-autonomous robots are now being deployed for missions such as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), HazMat detection, route clearance, structure mapping, person-tracking and person-following, and long-term surveillance. This case study examines the use the TYZX 3D Embedded Vision Systems in unmanned systems performing missions for military personnel and first responders.
The case study includes analysis of the use of TYZX systems in the iRobot® PackBot® and Warrior™ Platforms.
Turning Foot Traffic into Interactive Art at a Busy International Airport
Indianapolis’ new, state-of-the-art International Airport boasts a cutting-edge electronic light and sound environment designed to surprise and delight travelers. This interactive artwork fills the Pedestrian Bridge connecting the new Colonel H. Weir Cook Terminal to the airport’s immense parking structure. The state-of-the-art, green-tech airport, which opened in November, 2008, will serve 8.5 million travelers this year. Most of those travelers, either on their way to the terminal or the garage, will pass through this long, narrow, glass-sided passageway and encounter this dynamic, electronic installation.
Driver Assistance Testing for BMW
Video recording company, I.M.A. GmbH, is using TYZX 3D vision technology
to develop a validation system for driver assistance components currently
under test by global automaker BMW Group. I.M.A., based in Germany,
specializes in digital video recording and playback systems. I.M.A.
is working cooperatively with the BMW Group to adapt its DART video
technology for real time 3D environment data recording, which detects
lane markers, vehicle position, traffic signs and weather conditions
in real time and records relevant data to validate driver assistance
components. The I.M.A. driver assistance validation kit incorporating
TYZX stereo vision, is being used by the BMW Group to validate and
further improve the current product.
The Farmers’ Friend
One
of the world's largest makers of farming equipment wanted a smart
combine that could navigate fields without a human driver—and
without running over people or animals that might stray into its
path. TYZX had the 3D vision solution to a very large problem in
agriculture.
In this experiment, a Global 100 company wanted a safe alternative
for spraying chemicals used to keep fruits safe from pests and to
fertilize young trees without human intervention or exposure. The
vehicle, looking more like a 6-wheeled Mars Rover than a combine,
successfully captured data to allow navigation between closely planted
young fruit trees and avoid common obstacles found in orchards.
Homeland
Security
With homeland security at stake, Unisys needed a person-tracking
system for a Department of Defense application that simply couldn't
fail. TYZX saw the solution.
In a pilot at one of the world's most secure facilities, TYZX technology
was tested for its ability to maintain tracking for continuous identity
of any individual, in a secure office setting. Biometric devices
can authenticate someone at a point of entry, but how does a system
know exactly who someone is anywhere in a facility? TYZX is able
to track people down to 4cm grids, even in crowded and close environments,
where lighting changes can occur abruptly.
Top of the Rock
The Electroland-created Target Breezeway, a unique experimental
space for environmental interactivity, is powered by TYZX 3D vision
technology, sponsored by Target, and located on the 69th floor observation
deck of Rockefeller Center.
Visitors to the Breezeway space participate in an immersive
videogame-like environment where human motion is translated into
patterns of sound and light.
Each visitor is assigned a “personality” by the TYZX tracking
software and is in turn followed by patterns of colored lights. Electroland
software, integrated with TYZX technology, is capable of individually
tracking up to thirty visitors with great accuracy and a very low
error rate. More than 2 million people are expected to visit the
exhibit.
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