Tech Project

Description of the challenges faced by the Tech Project

The ranging technology offers the possibility to get the distance between humans and robots, which could be used to trigger distance based events. By using SLAM one can know the position of humans in a given environment, which could be used to trigger location based events. AR could be used to enriching the real artwork with additional virtual features. The visualisation of the planning algorithms can be used to make interesting spatio-temporal patterns.

Brief description of technology

The ranging technology enables distance measurements between nodes placed on a safety vest and the robots. Workers enter the automated part of the warehouse wearing a safety vest. If a robot gets too close it will safely shut down. The planner calculates optimal path for the 700+ robots in the warehouse and the human workers. Humans are not obligated to follow the path the planner makes, and the planner is able to recalculate the paths of all robots if the human gets off the path. A SLAM (Simultaneous localisation and mapping) algorithm is used to determine the location of the human in the warehouse and map the environment. This is important for eventual replanning, but doesn’t affect the ranging described at the beginning. Augmented reality allows overlaying digital information onto the real world. This allows us to navigate workers through a monotonous warehouse, as well as assist the worker at tasks like picking or robot repair. The mobile robots used are from our partner SwissLog. Although the project regards interaction with the robots, they won’t be heavily modified. Thus we suggest not to consider them for the Vertigo project.

What the project is looking to gain from the collaboration and what kind of artist would be suitable

A major goal for the project SafeLog is to gain visibility especially regarding the versatility of the technologies developed. Setting the ideas in an artistic context would strongly support this message. The technology in SafeLog provides the possibility to create interactive art work, which would allow to involve humans into the art itself. The artist should have this in mind. Additionally the input of the artist may give a fresh perspective on things that would help improve even the basic technology of the project. Finally we can help promote robotics and educate people on topic through the use modern art, which can help not only promote the project but the entire field of robotics.

Resources available to the artist

SafeLog-Partners commit to provide: office facility during the residency of the artist, consumables, technical equipment, internet connection, laboratory space, periods of availability for artistic production, staff working on SafeLog and the technologies will support the artist regarding how to use the technology and to adjust the technology to a certain extend to the artists need. Summary: Generally we offer an open-minded consortium with creative engineers and developers eager to cooperate with the artist.