Project Type: Research Organization: Robotics and Intelligent Vehicles Research (RIVeR) LabAnalog DevicesAscend Robotics Robot Used: Toyota Human Support Robot (HSR) Software Used: C++ | Python | ROS Date(s): Oct 2019 - Jan 2020
Analog Devices has recently developed new time-of-flight chips that can be used in a number of devices in support of many different applications. One of these applications is a time-of-flight based distance sensor that can be used for robotic navigation and manipulation tasks. In order to showcase the usefulness of their technology in this type of application at CES 2020, Analog Devices partnered with Northeastern's RIVeR Lab to leverage the lab's robotics research to showcase the Pico depth sensor. The chosen demo consisted of integrating the Pico sensor with existing sensors on Toyota's Human Support Robot (HSR). The data from this additional sensor was used to identify objects on a table that were then picked up and carried across an area while avoiding dynamic obstacles in order to hand the object off to a human. This demo was run across 4 days of CES 2020.
In this project I worked on adapting current research at Northeastern University to accomplish the specfic goals of Analog Devices for this demo as well as took responsibility for the continuous operation of the demo across 4 days of exhibitions in Las Vegas at CES 2020. My development tasks included modifying Toyoyta's existing software stack to fuse the data from the Analog Devices sensor with the existing sensors on the HSR. I also worked to develop the high-level behavior of the robot to pick up the closest object on a table, navigate across a room around obstacles, and hand the object off to a human. While at the CES exhibition I was responsible for running the demo and training Analog Devices employees to assist with this task to ensure a consistently running demonstration. I also interfaced with potential customers and investors to explain the underlying technology developed by Analog Devices along with its usefulness for new applications.
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