Advantech, which claims to be a leader in the industrial IoT, and Movella Holdings Inc., a provider of industrial sensor technology, yesterday said they are partnering to develop systems to enhance the reliability and safety of mobile robots.
The collaborators said they will combine Movella‘s expertise in industrial-grade inertial sensor modules and Advantech‘s embedded systems and design-in services. They plan to integrate Movella’s MTi inertial sensor module into Advantech’s AFE-R series control system for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
“We are excited to partner with Movella to advance technical integration for the AGV and AMR markets, delivering safer and more reliable solutions to our customers,” Aaron Su, vice president of Advantech’s Embedded IoT Group, said in a release.
MTi and AFE-R designed for performance
Henderson, Nev.-based Movella asserted that its MTi module, which runs on Xsens technology, is powerful and accurate enough for applications that demand high performance and reliability.
Advantech added that it has designed the AFE-R series for AMR and AGV applications. The dedicated controller includes specialized features including I/O interfaces, power matching, seamless integration, and anti-interference functions to ensure stable and reliable performance, said the Taipei, Taiwan-based company.
The AFE-R Series’ preliminary product is the AFE-R770. It supports Intel 12th and 13th generation Core i3/i5/i7/i9 processors. The system can operate in temperatures ranging from -20º to 70º C (-4º to 158º F), and it supports Ubuntu 22.04 and the ROS2 Suite.
Movella, Advantech aim to accelerate time to market
By combining their systems, Movella and Advantech said they will provide a one-stop system that simplifies deployment, minimizes compatibility issues, and accelerates time to market for mobile robot makers.
Starting in the first quarter of 2024, Advantech and Movella said they will be offering samples of their joint offering worldwide. The companies said they expect to begin production shipments in Q2.
“This collaboration between two industry leaders will help Advantech’s customers easily and quickly add safety and reliability to their Advantech-enabled AMR and AGV solutions,” stated Ben Lee, CEO of Movella. The company’s partners include Electronic Arts, EPIC Games, Netflix, Toyota, Siemens, and more than 500 sports organizations.
Earlier this year, Advantech partnered with MOV.AI to accelerate AMR development by integrating its Internet of Things hardware with MOV.AI’s Robotics Engine Platform. The companies said the integration will make it easier to develop and deploy mobile robots.