He Sai cooperates with CRATUS to create autonomous warehouse solutions

Laser radar solutions provider Hesai Technology and Lidar systems software solutions integrator CRATUS have announced a strategic alliance to develop an autonomous warehouse solution using Hesai's safety-grade 3D lidar QT128. CRATUS selected QT128 as the lead sensor in its new Lidar sensing package for AGVs and AMRs.

Autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have been used for years in warehouses and manufacturing plants for a variety of material handling tasks. To date, these systems have mainly used two-dimensional laser scanning devices that provide only a limited amount of perceptual data. Hesai's safety-grade QT model features 2 laser channels to provide a variety of new features for AGVs and automated forklifts.

The QT128 has a 360 degree horizontal FOV, compared to 270 degrees or less for conventional devices. This completely eliminates the AGV's blind spots and avoids any potential security risks posed by being "invisible". The QT128 is also certified by TUV Rheinland to the ISO 26262 ASIL B -- Performance Grade D functional safety standard. Functional safety certified lidar can detect potential risks in electronic systems, send alerts to autopilot systems and activate protection. This allows AGVs to operate safely and efficiently.

The QT128 has 128 laser channels compared to 2D lidar, which usually has only one laser channel. This not only provides additional security redundancy, but also enables rich 3D sensing data. 2D lidar equipped AGVs will lose visibility in the event that a single laser fails or is interfered with by a strong light source such as sunlight. However, with 128 laser channels, the QT128 continues to operate effectively even in complex environments. This enhanced awareness allows for a variety of AGV applications, including outdoor operations and transfers between warehouses.

CRATUS and Hesai will jointly release a series of drivers, middleware and terminal solutions around the QT128 Lidar sensor. These solutions will accelerate the adoption of 3D lidar in material handling and open up new possibilities for robotic applications in warehouses.

Source: Laser Net