New Taipei City, Taiwan, Sept 6, 2023 -Vecow Co., Ltd., a team of global embedded experts, and Curium, a prominent provider of calibration software, are delighted to announce their strategic partnership. This collaboration harnesses Curium’s proficiency in static and dynamic software technology alongside Vecow’s innovation in time synchronization technology and strength in AI computing systems. Together, they aim to deliver comprehensive accuracy, reliability, and robustness for outdoor autonomous guidance robotic and vehicle applications.
Sensors play a critical role in autonomous vehicles and mobile robotics, serving as their eyes. They enable a range of functionalities, from existing Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) features like automated braking and lane-keeping to the potential elimination of the driver altogether. As vehicles progress toward higher levels of automation, the precision of these sensors becomes increasingly vital. The implications of these ‘eyes’ not being accurately aligned or failing to provide clear vision could be disastrous, leading to scenarios where vehicles or robots suddenly brake on a busy highway or veer unpredictably into another lane. Ensuring sufficiently high and dependable accuracy is imperative, and calibration stands out as one of the primary factors that ensure a vehicle’s sensors operate with the utmost fidelity.
Most Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or outdoor autonomous guide equipment robot sensors are meticulously aligned and necessitate calibration if their positions are disturbed in any manner. Consider that even a slight misalignment “a fraction of an inch or merely one degree” can cause a sensor on the vehicle to be aimed significantly off-axis, potentially affecting an area more than 50 feet down the road. Sensor misalignment often results from collisions, where even a minor fender bender can disrupt the precise calibration of ADAS sensors. Furthermore, calibration may also be required as a consequence of routine car servicing tasks like windshield replacement, suspension repair, or wheel alignment.
The autonomous vehicle market is experiencing significant growth, marked by the increasing deployment of autonomous shuttles, advanced driving systems, and robotic solutions in real-world settings. According to research firm Markets and Markets, the Delivery Robots Market is projected to expand from USD 0.4 Billion in 2023 to USD 1.8 Billion by 2028, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.7% during the forecast period. Consumer confidence in these systems hinges largely on their reliability. Curium’s strategy involves offering real-time calibration software to ensure the continuous safety and usability of these systems.
One of the key trends in sensor calibration involves the utilization of automated tools and algorithms capable of performing the calibration process without human intervention. This approach serves to diminish labor and skill requirements, while also mitigating the variability and uncertainty associated with manual calibration. Automated calibration additionally facilitates quicker and more frequent calibration cycles, thereby enhancing the accuracy and stability of sensors over time. Notable examples of automated calibration techniques encompass self-calibration, where the sensor adjusts its parameters based on a reference signal or known condition, remote calibration, where the sensor communicates with a central server or cloud platform responsible for the calibration process, and adaptive calibration, in which the sensor adapts to shifting environmental conditions or user preferences.
For the automotive use case Curium offers a highly dependable and comprehensive computing platform at a competitive price utilizing Vecow high-performance ECX-3200 Fanless System, powered by 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-13900E processor. This enables the delivery of solutions to a diverse range of end-user scenarios. The real-time sensor calibration is critical for safety and reliability, the advanced features of Vecow’s systems provide a strong and robust solution suitable for all user different conditions. Vecow and Curium are collaborating to expand their business partnership, catering to the needs of outdoor robotic and autonomous vehicle applications.
Curium supports multiple applications for different industry vertices providing support cameras, Lidars, radars, IMUs and vehicle/system reference. Curium can rely on Vecow’s wide range of edge offerings depending on the number of sensors and the intended use case.
To learn more about Curium calibration software, please see here.
To learn more about Vecow ECX-3200 series, please see here.
“Safety and reliability are critical concerns for outdoor robotics and autonomy. We are actively collaborating with Curium to deliver a robust software and hardware integration solution. “said Alex Liu, BDM of Vecow. “Vecow’s time synchronization technology will integrate with Curium’s capabilities in static and dynamic calibration, as well as sensor fusion. This integration aims to enhance the accuracy and robustness of sensor data for outdoor autonomous mobile robots and vehicles. We are very happy about the potential for further business collaborations with Curium.”
“We are happy to find a reliable edge solutions partner in Vecow, “said Ali Hasnain, CEO & Co-founder of Curium. “Curium’s online calibration is an essential tool for any autonomous systems to provide safe and reliable performance. With our collaboration with Vecow we are happy to provide our edge deployment on top of our existing Cloud solution.”
Accurate and reliable time synchronization technology has become increasingly crucial, not only for calibration but also for autonomous driving and outdoor autonomous mobile robotics systems. Vecow Time Sync Solution is built on the Xilinx Ultrascale+ MPSoC platform, offering three key technologies and addressing five critical topics: mapping, sensor fusion, calibration, localization, and navigation. The solution aims to enhance perception, position, and precision capabilities.
To learn more about Vecow Time Sync BOX, please visit Vecow’s Time Sync Solution page for more details.