Posts tagged SafeStop
TORC Releases OEM Version of Popular SafeStop Wireless Emergency Stop System
OEM SafeStop enables integration with third-party operator interfaces and robotic controllers
BLACKSBURG, VA (September 29, 2011) – TORC’s popular wireless emergency stop system for unmanned vehicles, SafeStop, is now available in an OEM version. This version opens the way for robotic developers and system integrators to more easily integrate the emergency stop functionality into their own enclosures and control interfaces. In the past, in-house development was the only option. Customers will receive an integration-ready transmitter board, while the receiver unit is still provided in its assembled enclosure.
Similar to the retail version, the OEM SafeStop supports pairing multiple transmitters with a single vehicle-mounted receiver and is available in all of the same frequency options: 340-400 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.3 and 2.4 GHz, with an additional 3.4 GHz frequency option only available in the OEM model. The transmitter board is 128mm by 88.9mm and can be controlled and monitored over the primary RS-232/422 interface. Emergency stops are executed by interrupting a current loop input on the transmitter board.
As part of the continued improvements to the Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate (GUSS) systems, the OEM SafeStop transmitter board was recently integrated with QinetiQ’s Tactical Robotic Controller (TRC) via the Ground Vehicle Control Module. This allows for one of the buttons on the TRC to function as the SafeStop emergency stop kill switch, eliminating the need for a dedicated handheld unit and wrapping that functionality into the lightweight, wearable operator control unit.
“Customers want to simplify and consolidate operator controls. Having a stand-alone transmitter unit for the emergency stop function can sometimes create usability issues for the operator,” says Andrew Culhane, the company’s business development manager. “It’s easy to designate a safety operator during development and system testing, but as more autonomous vehicles get fielded it’s increasingly difficult to separate emergency safety from system operation. The OEM SafeStop allows our customers to merge emergency stop functionality with new and existing operator interfaces.”
Visit the SafeStop Web page for more information, and contact TORC with additional questions or to obtain pricing.
ABOUT TORC
TORC enables engineers to rapidly integrate robotic systems through a suite of modular, customizable products. TORC’s Robotic Building Blocks product line is used by leading academic, commercial and government organizations to shorten the development process, lower costs and mitigate risks. These products have been used on more than 100 mobile robots ranging from 15 pounds to 15 tons. TORC provides solutions for drive-by-wire conversion, emergency stop, power management, autonomous navigation and operator control. For more information, visit http://www.torcrobotics.com.
TORC, TORC Robotics, SafeStop and Robotic Building Blocks are trademarks of TORC.
Blind Driver Challenge Gets Mainstream Media Coverage
The NFB Blind Driver Challenge was recently a feature story on both the TODAY show and MotorWeek. Both segments cover the story from a different angle, with MotorWeek providing a more in-depth look into background of, and technology used in, the Challenge. The TODAY clip is slightly more entertaining, as NBC’s anchor Jenna Wolfe gets “SafeStopped” (new verb for getting emergency stopped with the TORC SafeStop) a few times and maxes out at 4 mph!
Visit the ByWire XGV product page to learn more about the research vehicle (modified Ford Escape Hybrid) used in developing the Blind Drive Challenge vehicles.
MotorWeek episode
TODAY Show segment
TORC Announces Next Generation SafeStop Wireless Emergency Stop for Robotic Systems
Enhancements include multiple frequency options, web configuration interface, and ruggedness for harsh operating environments.
BLACKSBURG, VA (July 14, 2010) – TORC, a leading provider of robotic building blocks for developers and integrators of robotic systems, announces the release of the next generation SafeStop, a failsafe emergency safety system for robotic vehicles. The SafeStop is the industry’s leading off-the-shelf wireless emergency stop used by government labs, research universities, robotics developers and system integrators on a wide range of ground and surface vehicles.
The next generation SafeStop is available for use on 340-400 MHz, 900 MHz, 1.3 GHz or 2.4GHz frequencies, providing operational compatibility for international markets and restricted bands. A user-friendly web configuration interface has been integrated to allow users to customize the SafeStop for their specific application without installing any software.
With robotic systems transitioning to industrial and military environments, the next generation SafeStop has been ruggedized to include stronger enclosures, connectors, antennas, switches and switch guards, as well as improved sealing for water resistance ratings up to IP67. This ruggedness is designed for operation in harsh environments found in military, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. Additional enhancements include wider input voltage ranges and RAM mount compatibility.
“Our customers have given us outstanding feedback to identify the evolving safety requirements in industrial and military robotic markets. I appreciate this feedback and I am pleased that the next generation SafeStop product line will meet their needs,” Michael Fleming, CEO of TORC.
The SafeStop is one of the many robotic building blocks that TORC offers for customers to rapidly integrate and deploy autonomous robotic systems. During development and operation, it is essential to integrate an independent wireless emergency stop system in order to reliably place a robotic system in a failsafe state at any time.
This stop functionality is critical in protecting the investment of time, money and resources. To learn more about the next generation SafeStop wireless emergency safety for unmanned vehicles and autonomous robotic systems, visit http://www.torctech.com/products/safestop.
About TORC
TORC enables engineers to rapidly integrate robotic systems through a suite of modular, customizable products. TORC’s Robotic Building Block products are used by leading academic, commercial and government organizations to shorten the development process, lower costs and mitigate risks. These products have been used on over a hundred mobile robots ranging from 15 pounds to 15 tons. TORC provides solutions for drive-by-wire conversion, emergency stop, power management, autonomous navigation, and operator control. To learn more, visit http://www.torctech.com.
TORC Provides Unmanned Industry with Integration-Ready Robotic Ground Vehicle
ByWire XGV™ Experimental Ground Vehicle Platform Provides Jump Start for Autonomous Research and Development
BLACKSBURG, VA (Dec. 4, 2009) – TORC Technologies, a leading developer of robotic technologies for unmanned and autonomous vehicles, is offering unmanned systems researchers, developers and integrators in the ground vehicle market a faster way to develop and test new technologies.
TORC’s ByWire XGV™ is a JAUS interoperable, drive-by-wire controlled ground vehicle platform which utilizes the Ford Escape Hybrid as the base vehicle. The XGV comes with built-in safety components and an optional onboard power management system. This off-the-shelf, integration-ready platform has been purchased by various universities and robotics companies to have on hand for rapid integration and testing of their autonomous technologies. The platform design is based on TORC’s success as a finalist in the DARPA Urban Challenge and has been proven during thousands of hours of development, testing and operation.
ByWire XGV makes it possible to bypass the drive-by-wire conversion and jump right into the integration phase of more advanced unmanned technologies. By allowing engineering teams to remain focused on higher level technology development, the XGV eliminates the need to spend time, money and resource commitments reinventing an already proven system.
“To develop the next level of unmanned ground vehicle technologies, researchers need a reliable, cost-effective drive-by-wire platform from which they can build upon,” says Andrew Culhane, TORC’s Business Development Manager. “In the full-sized unmanned ground vehicle market this is especially important since large amounts of time and money can be sunk into developing an in-house solution that may be pulling resources away from working on the core technology under development.
“The ByWire XGV is a direct solution to the ‘base platform problem’ experienced by so many in the unmanned systems community. As a rapid go-to-market platform with a great deal of flexibility in its application, the XGV is ready to integrate higher level technologies.”
ByWire XGV focuses on reliability, safety, cost-effectiveness and performance. The conversion package includes three core areas: drive-by-wire (ability for a computer to perform both closed-loop and open-loop control of the vehicle), safety (a fail-safe emergency stop system) and power (set of flexible options for supplying power to any auxiliary equipment).
ByWire XGV utilizes the hybrid Escape’s proven vehicle technologies, tapping into electronic controls, available battery power, and all wheel drive for on-road/off-road ruggedness and flexibility of application. Controlled through a unified Ethernet interface, the drive-by-wire conversion is seamlessly integrated with the vehicle’s factory electronics, providing electronic control of the steering, throttle, shifter, braking and signals. In addition, information such as vehicle speed, warnings and errors can be monitored.
The XGV includes an integrated SafeStop™, TORC’s wireless emergency stop system, providing temporary pause and emergency shutdown functionality. Manual stop buttons are mounted inside and outside of the vehicle for additional safety. A key benefit of the XGV is the availability of onboard DC and AC power, eliminating the need for adding additional power sources to the system. The optional PowerHub™ conditioning and distribution modules allow for use of up to 6 kW of managed power, which is configurable over Ethernet through a web browser.
“The demand for unmanned ground vehicles capable of removing humans from the dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs of the world continually increases as the effectiveness of unmanned systems improve,” Culhane says. “To meet this growing demand, research and development efforts have increased to build up critical technology.”
Examples of such critical areas include sensor range and effectiveness, motion planning techniques in dynamic and unpredictable environments, behavioral architectures, and unobtrusive yet powerful human-computer interfaces. Other important challenges facing unmanned system developers include lowering cost while improving reliability and robustness.
“Achieving all these goals is necessary to boost adoption rates of unmanned vehicles by government and commercial markets,” Culhane says. “Too often these goals are not achieved, however, due to the unavailability of a reliable, cost-effective, and flexible base platform. Too much time and money is put into solving a problem that is not associated with the actual technology under development. The XGV meets this need for the unmanned ground vehicle community.”
To learn more about ByWireXGV, including video demonstrations, please visit www.ByWireXGV.com.
ABOUT TORC TECHNOLOGIES
TORC is a leading robotics engineering and product development company focusing on unmanned and autonomous vehicle systems. The company commercializes intelligent robotic technologies into modular, interoperable, off-the-shelf products that enable customers to rapidly integrate and deploy unmanned solutions. To learn more, visit www.torctech.com.
TORC’s ByWire XGV Tested at 102 Miles per Hour Under Drive-By-Wire Control
TORC Technologies Successfully Operates its Commercially Available Drive-By-Wire Platform in Excess of 100 Miles per Hour While in Computer Control
Blacksburg, VA – February 9, 2009 – TORC Technologies (www.torctech.com) reports that its ByWire XGV™, drive-by-wire converted Hybrid Escape platform, was successfully operated at speeds of up to 102 miles per hour in January of 2009. The tests were run on the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s “Smart Road,” a 2.2 mile road closed to outside traffic and pedestrians. The ByWire XGV provides unmanned system developers, researchers, and integrators with a scalable, computer controlled ground vehicle platform with integrated SafeStop™ safety and PowerHub™ power management systems.
Ready for the addition of an autonomous navigation system, the ByWire XGV conversion is tightly integrated to the existing vehicle systems. Controlled through a single interface using JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) or other proprietary standard over Ethernet, the steering, throttle, shifter, braking, and signals can all be controlled electronically. The safety systems on the XGV are centered around the TORC SafeStop, an off-the-shelf wireless emergency stop system, which provides up to a six mile line-of-sight range and allows for both disable and pause-vehicle states. An internally mounted emergency stop button, easily accessible from both front seats, and two optional externally mounted emergency stop buttons provide for additional safety.
A key benefit of the XGV is the availability of onboard electric power, which prevents the need for adding additional sources of power. TORC’s PowerHub power conditioning and distribution options allow for use of up to 2 kW of managed power, configurable over Ethernet through a web browser.
“The XGV is another product that TORC has developed based on needs from the DARPA Grand Challenges and other robotic programs from a variety of government groups and industry sectors. We see cutting edge robotic organizations spending too many resources reinventing drive-by-wire, safety, and power details rather than focusing on the higher level perception, planning, and control issues. The XGV allows organizations to leverage our experience solving the ‘Base Platform’ problem,” states Michael Fleming, CEO of TORC. “We are excited to demonstrate the XGV at closed-loop control at speed at over 100 miles per hour.”
The ByWire XGV uses multiple embedded modules to convert the stock vehicle to by-wire control. At the heart of this system is the National Instruments CompactRIO (cRIO) real-time system. The cRIO handles closed-loop control of the steering, throttling, and braking, as well as shifting, and lighting commands and feedback. Furthermore, the National Instruments cRIO provides the user access to the XGV system through a unified input over Ethernet.
“National Instruments is excited about TORC Technology’s’ ability to leverage LabVIEW and NI CompactRIO for leading autonomous vehicle design and deployment. TORC has been able to create unique offerings in the market through drive-by-wire technology,” states Shelley Gretlein, Robotics Business Development Manager at National Instruments.
A number of other performance tests were also completed in addition to the high speed runs. An operator was able to safely change lanes at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, and the ByWire XGV was also able to slalom between two lanes at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Both tests demonstrate the quick response time of the drive-by-wire conversion, and the accuracy at which desired commands can be achieved.
The ByWire XGV is currently available for purchase through TORC Technologies. The clean installation, intuitive user interface, and rapid conversion make the XGV ideal for unmanned system developers, system integrators and research universities. See the ByWire XGV in action, reaching 102 mph, in the online video at www.ByWireXGV.com.
About TORC Technologies
TORC is automating dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks by commercializing intelligent robotic technologies into interoperable off-the-shelf products, providing the essential building blocks for rapidly enabling autonomy on virtually any platform. TORC’s product line offers an integrated set of functionalities necessary for implementing varying levels of unmanned and autonomous operation that can increase your speed to market while reducing risks and development costs.
Sales Contact:
Andrew Culhane, Sales Engineer
TORC Technologies
540-443-9262 x 4251
http://www.torctech.com
Media Contact:
David Cutter, Marketing Manager
TORC Technologies
540-443-9262 x 4256
http://www.torctech.com