The mobile robotics industry stands at the cusp of a new wave of rapid technological advancement. With breakthroughs in sensors, processors, and communication technologies, the future of these smart devices is more exciting than ever. This article will take an in-depth look at how mobile robots are utilizing the latest chips and technologies to achieve higher performance and a wider range of applications.
Innovating Edge Processing: Since its introduction 20 years ago, the Arm Cortex-M family of microcontrollers has become the de facto standard for low-power, high-performance microcontroller design. NXP’s newest MCX N-series microcontrollers, based on the dual-core Arm Cortex-M33, further this trend by bringing neural processing units (NPUs) to the microcontroller level for the first time. This not only provides acceleration for machine learning (ML) algorithms but also opens up new possibilities for real-time data processing and decision-making in robotics. eIQ Neutron NPUs support a wide range of neural network types, including CNN, RNN, TCN, Transformer, and more. In addition, in the microprocessor area, NXP introduced the new i.MX 9 series. With microprocessors based on the FuSa core principle, robotic systems can operate more safely.
Breakthroughs in power technology: Gallium nitride (GaN) technology is revolutionizing power electronics. GaN offers higher efficiency and smaller sizes than conventional silicon devices, which is a huge boon for motor drives in mobile robots. In addition, the development of new battery chemistries, such as sodium-ion batteries, heralds more environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and power-dense power solutions.
Advances in sensor technology: Vision systems are critical for mobile robots, and the addition of NPUs has enabled real-time inference and classification of images, greatly enhancing the robot’s ability to sense its environment. In addition, the fast switching characteristics of GaN devices, combined with LiDAR technology, have enabled significant improvements in the speed and resolution of 3D depth mapping, which is critical to the advancement of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms.
Revolution in communication and connectivity: Rapid advances in wireless technology, especially the low-latency and high-bandwidth characteristics of 5G networks, provide powerful support for remote control of mobile robots and cloud computing. The development of mesh networks and robot swarms enables multi-robot systems to collaborate more efficiently, whether in search and rescue, environmental monitoring, or logistics and distribution.
Convergence of IoT protocols: Internet of Things (IoT) protocols such as MQTT and CoAP are facilitating the seamless integration of mobile robots with other smart devices. This not only improves the interconnectivity of robots but also opens up the possibility of creating smarter and more automated systems.
As technology continues to advance, we can foresee mobile robots becoming more versatile, and adaptable, and playing a greater role in a variety of industries. From automated warehouses to smart agriculture, from environmental monitoring to search and rescue, mobile robots will be everywhere, and they will revolutionize the way we live and work.
The future of the knot mobile robotics industry is promising. Utilizing the latest chips and technologies will make these smart devices more efficient, intelligent, and autonomous.
