Robotics challenge.

Winners gain access to ABB's global network, cutting-edge technologies, and long-term partnership opportunities

Their 2024 Robotics AI Startup Challenge has been announced by ABB Robotics. This is a global competition designed to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in robotics. The challenge is part of ABB’s ecosystem for innovation, with a previous challenge resulting in the acquisition of Sevensense in January 2024, a Swiss-based start-up and leading provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). ABB Robotics' latest challenge will foster innovation and collaboration between ABB and pioneering startups and scaleups worldwide.

The Robotics AI Startup Challenge is part of ABB’s wider Innovation Ecosystem, which is driven by collaboration and the transformative potential of emerging technologies. Through initiatives designed to identify, support and scale-up promising startups across all industries, ABB partners with pioneering businesses to accelerate innovation. These collaborative efforts bring new solutions to market, advancing ABB’s mission to create a more sustainable and productive future.

"Innovation has been at the heart of ABB since the foundation of our robotics business 50 years ago and we recognize the immense potential of startups and scaleups in driving technological advancement," said Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics. "The ABB Robotics AI Startup Challenge is an opportunity for us to partner with the most creative and forward-thinking minds in the field, as we work together to shape the future of robotics and automation."

Collaborating with the brightest minds in AI and robotics
The ABB Robotics AI Startup Challenge invites participants to submit groundbreaking ideas and solutions in three key areas: natural language programming, skill learning, and autonomous decision-making. By harnessing the power of AI, ABB is developing next generation robots that are more intuitive, adaptable, easy to use and efficient, transforming industries to make companies more resilient and work more rewarding for employees.

Participants in the challenge will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with ABB's world-class engineers, access cutting-edge robotic technologies, and tap into the company's global network of customers and partners. The winning team will be awarded a cash prize of $30,000 and the opportunity to establish a long-term partnership with ABB and explore joint go-to-market strategies and investment opportunities.

The Challenge is now open for applications. Startups and scaleups with expertise in AI and robotics are encouraged to submit their proposals by June 12, 2024. For more information about the challenge, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, please visit the website.

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Intelligent navigation for robots.

ABB Robotics has transformed its Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) with the addition of Visual Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology, enabling its AMRs to make intelligent navigation decisions based on their surroundings. Using AI-enabled 3D vision to perform location and mapping functions, ABB’s Visual SLAM AMRs make production faster, more flexible, efficient and resilient while taking on dull, dirty and dangerous tasks so people can focus on more rewarding work.

Visual SLAM combines AI and 3D vision technologies to guarantee a superior performance in comparison to other guidance techniques for AMRs. Offering significant advantages over other forms of navigation such as magnetic tape, QR codes, and traditional 2D SLAM that require additional infrastructure to function, Visual SLAM AMRs are being embraced by companies to handle an expanding range of production and distribution tasks.

“Our introduction of Visual SLAM AMRs radically enhances companies’ operations, making them faster, more efficient and more flexible, while freeing up employees to take on more rewarding work,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics Division. “Offering more autonomy and intelligence, our new AMRs operate safely in dynamic, human-populated environments. Visual SLAM technology provides a new level of intelligence for AMRs that transforms robotic applications, from production and distribution through to healthcare.”

Visual SLAM uses cameras mounted on the AMR to create a real time 3D map of all objects in the surrounding area. The system can differentiate between fixed navigation references such as floors, ceilings and walls that need to be added to the map, and objects such as people or vehicles that move or change position. The cameras detect and track natural features in the environment enabling the AMR to dynamically adapt to its surroundings and determine the safest and most efficient route to its destination. Unlike 2D SLAM, Visual SLAM requires no additional references such as reflectors or markers, saving cost and space and offers accurate positioning to within three millimeters.

By eliminating the need to change the environment, stop production, or add infrastructure, Visual SLAM technology helps to reduce commissioning time by up to 20 percent compared to 2D SLAM, significantly reducing the time needed to introduce a new AMR into the existing fleet. The technology can be used at scale with fleets updated remotely. The technology is also secure, as it analyzes raw data only, with no visual images saved on either the AMR or on a server.

ABB developed Visual SLAM AMRs in collaboration with partner Sevensense Robotics, a leading provider of AI and 3D visual technology. The technology is being incorporated in ABB’s latest generation AMRs, the AMR T702V, from Q3 2023, and the AMR P604V, from Q4 2023. These will be followed by other AMR products incorporating Visual SLAM which will be rolled out up to 2025. The Visual SLAM technology is already deployed in industrial projects for customers in automotive and retail, with the potential to replace conventional production lines with intelligent, modular production cells served by AMRs.

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