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MARS Mobile Autonomous Robot for Safe sorting Automated guided vehicles or autonomous mobile robots are widely used in postal and e-commerce sorting applications. They increase the flexibility and scalability of logistics centres. There are two main solutions on the market: collaborative sortation robots, which work with humans in the same environment but are slower and safer, and non-collaborative systems, which work without human interaction but are confined in a cage. The MARS (Mobile Autonomous Robot for Safe sorting) project has developed an intelligent system that enables the transition between these two approaches. It uses a dual-channel localisation system to safely position each vehicle and place it in the appropriate operating mode. This system is based on optical localisation using matrix codes on the floor and RFID technology for checkpoints and area changes. The solution enables a flexible combination of collaborative and high performance workspaces. The vehicles intelligently adapt their behaviour according to their position. In collaborative areas they avoid people and obstacles, while in fenced-off areas they increase speed to maximise performance. The MARS system can expand existing facilities or redesign flexible sortation systems. Contact persons: L. Rolfs (Project manager) R. Erben K. Klein J. Wilhelm Funded by: EU - EIT Manufacturing Duration: 01.01.2021 - 31.03.2022 See project's publications List all projects |