Automating Vehicles and Robots with a SLAM Kit: An Interview
Velodyne Lidar recently conducted an interview with Brad Ysseldyk, Applanix’ Global Autonomous Business Development Manager, to expound how LiDAR is a crucial component of Applanix’ Autonomous Development Platform, which obtains pinpoint positioning and mapping in unknown, GNSS-denied environments.
Brad describes how LiDAR sensors are integral for creating true “sensor fusion” with SLAM – that is, combining, in real-time, the sensory data of a vehicle’s immediate surroundings with data from the autonomous system’s inertial measurement unit (IMU), which measures velocity and incremental distance independent of GNSS.
He relates how the quality of the sensor greatly impacts the system’s positioning and localization performance before it can reconverge with GNSS. What’s more, Brad attributes this flexibility to maneuver between environments of ranging GNSS access – along with value-adding customization and a scalable development process – as what makes Applanix’ Development Platform the ideal solution for any application.
From mines and steel mills to seaports and rail, read the full interview exploring how the Applanix Development kit is built to fit the needs of any autonomous project.