Open Source middleware accelerates robotic product development by providing a working framework for software tools and reusable code to be available to developers. ROS provides much-needed accessibility for a rapidly growing robotics market.
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When you’re driving in a new area and get lost, what do you normally do to get back on the right path? Today, most drivers would take out their phones and use Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze. But before these navigation apps were around, people took a special interest in their surroundings and made a mental note of physical landmarks to make sense of where they were located. This is similar to how Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) works for robots and other autonomous systems. As the name suggests, SLAM is a technology method that maps a new environment and localizes a robot within that map at the same time. SLAM software uses signs and markers (landmarks) on a Three-Dimensional (3D) map as reference points.
Positioned snuggly between Hannover Messe, Automate in Chicago, and ICRA in Tokyo, WTWH Media’s Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston felt like it was bridging the gap between industry and academia. Many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were present at the event, showcasing innovations that would benefit stakeholders in nearly every field of robotics. Academics, either as founders of companies, members of advisory boards, or representing their institutions, gave talks on research into state-of-the-art robotics, while maintaining a focus on commercial potential.