RoboLibri – efficient RFID 3D-inventory robot and autonomous guide to objects as an intralogistics cornerstone for agile production.
Name of demonstration
RoboLibri – efficient RFID 3D-inventory robot and autonomous guide to objects as an intralogistics cornerstone for agile production.
Main objective
With RoboLibri, we have developed a mobile robot platform equipped with a novel RFID reader architecture for autonomous inventory and very precise product localisation in all three spatial directions, as required in agile intralogistics. In addition, multimodal interaction interfaces are integrated on the platform for people guidance in the context of intelligent production environments or as a service application such as for libraries and for general information provision, allowing as well seamless access to the metainformation of the inventoried products.
Short description
With the equipped functional safe motor control system and LIDAR sensors as well as 3D-camera, wheel odometry and gyroscope sensors, the robot is able to autonomously navigate with up to 1 m/s in large warehouses of tens of thousands square metres, as well through narrow corridors such as between rows of bookshelves alongside people, meeting safety regulations. On its way, the platform creates a 3-dimensional map of the environment, where tens to hundreds of thousands of RFID-tagged items can be located with up to centimeter precision, thanks to the advanced RFID reader system on board, incorporating multiple, coherently receiving antennas. For the direct interaction with people, a large touchscreen and voice recognition are implemented, allowing visitors, warehousemen and librarians to find products, physical files, books or sections of interest. An intelligent score-based search without speech patterns ensures a high success rate in finding the desired objects or content, providing an intuitive and satisfying service to the users. In the future, a smartphone app could complement the interaction and provide a call function to the service desk.
This demonstration has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 825196.
Owner of the demonstrator
MetraLabs GmbH
Responsible person
Dr.-Ing. Johannes Trabert, johannes.trabert@metralabs.com
NACE
R91.0.1 - Library and archives activities
Keywords
Robotics, automation, robotics and automation, inventory, UHF RFID, libraries.
Benefits for the users
The robot is able to autonomously navigate in large warehouses with tens of thousands square metres and can locate thousands of RFID-tagged items with up to centimeter precision and without any help. With its knowledge it is also able to navigate visitors to their favorite books or other things of their interest.
Innovation
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precise 3D-locations of rfid tags
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interactive search in a library
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voice controlled robot
Risks and limitations
The roboter requires (careful) planning and setup in the library to enable proper/efficient navigation. Libraries with multiple floors require multiple robots or temporary sharing of the robot. One-time setup to generate search terms for library items (for voice control) can only be done semi-automated, ie. requires at least checking and declaring special cases (e.g. alternative search terms or coordinates for areas).
Technology readiness level
5
Sectors of application
libraries, warehouses, hardware stores, large shopping malls, furniture stores, exhibitions.
Potential sectors of application
Robot can be reconfigured to serve as a user guide in any field with rfid-tagged items in an indoor environment. Ideal for commercial venues where people may ask for the location of specific items from a huge inventory, or venues which are sufficiently large so that employees might not always be nearby to help, e.g. warehouses, hardware stores, large shopping malls, furniture stores, exhibitions.
Hardware / Software
Hardware:
The robot is equipped with the functional safe motor control system and LIDAR sensors as well as 3D-camera, wheel odometry and gyroscope sensors. - LCD touch screen - microphone - rfid-reader and antennas - safety features (bumper, stop button (in UI for goals and physically for emergency stop))
Software:
MIRA: middleware for robotic applications (https://www.mira-project.org)
software for control of rfid reader/antennas
front-end application (+UI) for user interaction and information retrieval/display
algorithms/application/implementation stuff for speech recognition, custom specialized algorithm for extraction of commands and search terms ft. adjustable scoring system
Photos
Video
Every bookworm's friend: RoboLibri, an RFID 3D-inventory robot and interactive guide to books
https://fb.watch/9nJx4Yl2-5/No modules assigned
Trainings
To learn more about the solution, click on the link below to access the training on the Moodle platform
The Intalogistic Cornerstone for Agile Production