At this year’s FIRA virtual event (December 8-10, 2020) Fixposition is showcasing the Vision-RTK sensor, furthering precise positioning and autonomy in the field of agricultural robotics.
The Vision-RTK is Fixposition’s latest breakthrough product. Its unique sensor fusion algorithms for deep integration of satellite, camera and inertial sensors are encased in a plug-and-play, cost-effective hardware module. The Vision-RTK’s innovative technology expands reliability and availability of localization in environments that are challenging for traditional Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).
Precise positioning technology can create significant benefits in many agricultural applications, from sowing seed and crop control to monitoring and mapping of soil and surveying livestock. New innovations in the agricultural space aim to reduce effort and waste, maximize efficiencies, and have a direct impact on the bottom line. Highest precision in autonomous machinery and navigation correlates to maximum yield and return on investment.
There are a number of scenarios in the agricultural field that pose real challenges to traditional GNSS sensors. One known challenge is when farm vehicles/robots move from open-sky to GNSS-denied or challenged areas, for example, under trees and dense canopies, on steep hillsides, or in close proximity to structures like barns or silos.
Dr. Zhenzhong Su, CEO and co-founder of Fixposition explains: “In these scenarios GNSS signals are reflected or blocked. Simple Real-Time-Kinematics (RTK) GNSS sensors are not enough to ensure reliability and availability of precise positioning at all times. The advanced algorithms in the Vision-RTK fuse computer vision, RTK GNSS and inertial inputs in an unprecedented way, in order to overcome these limitations and unlock completely new possibilities”. Mr. Su recognized these unique challenges during his PhD research at ETH Zurich. His partnership with Lukas Meier and the consequent founding of Fixposition was their answer to these challenges and the start of their mission to simplify autonomous navigation.
To learn more about the new Vision-RTK sensor and to see it in action in challenging environments, visit Fixposition's virtual booth at FIRA from December 8 to 10, 2020. Evaluation kits are also available for order now at [email protected].
Source: https://www.fixposition.com/