Sensors, robotics, vision: Robotics have new vision, capabilities

By Control Engineering Staff June 18, 2007

Rosemont, ILBraintech and ABB Robotics are showing what 3D machine vision and robotics can do when integrated in new systems in exhibits at the Robot & Vision Show , underway at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, June 12-14. Robots with vision can do things that were never before performed by unattended machines, the companies say. Braintech’s exhibit is booth 515 in the Vision Section, and in ABB’s exhibit is booth 1611 in the Robot Section. Also at the Stephens Convention Center was Sensors Expo 2007, June 11-13.

Braintech, which provides robotic machine vision software, is displaying the latest version of eVisionFactory (eVF) and beta version of Volts-IQ software. ABB is exhibiting three of its TrueView systems, described as “Cognitive Robotics,” along with other advances.

The soon to be released Braintech Volts-IQ Visual Intelligence Software Suite provides feature recognition, object localization and robot guidance in the form of Microsoft Robotics Studio (MSRS) services. The software is said to combine Braintech’s expertise in vision guided robotics with Microsoft’s powerful MSRS service-based architecture. Volts-IQ will allow researchers, commercial product developers, and hobbyists to “vision-enable” robotic projects and products with unprecedented ease and speed, leap-frogging traditional barriers involved with vision development for faster product introductions or implementations.

“With the introduction of SC3D in 2001, it became evident that robots with vision can do things that were never before performed by unattended machines,” says Owen Jones, Braintech’s CEO. “Through collaborative R&D,” he says, “we’re continuing to develop more powerful robot vision technologies, now giving ABB robots Cognitive capabilities. Our goal is to provide manufacturers with the means to automate processes that require a high degree of reasoning and in-doing so allow manufacturers to locate plants close to their markets and not be disadvantaged by globalization.” Jones says Braintech has worked with ABB Robotics group since 1999 to develop a comprehensive suite of robot vision technologies for manufacturers.

At the ABB booth, attendees can see examples of systems working in the field and gain first hand knowledge of how they’re adding efficiency to manufacturing operations. Also, Braintech’s chief technologist, Babak Habibi, was scheduled to discuss the latest advances in bin picking as part of Session 6: Advances in Bin Picking, as part of the Wednesday June 13, conference session.

Control Engineering has covered other robotics, vision, and sensor developments from the co-located shows. Click here for more.

—Edited by Mark T. Hoske , editor in chief
Control Engineering Daily News