Enhancing Robotics Operations: Brisa Robotics Leveraging AWS
Introduction:
In this post, we will explore how Brisa Robotics utilizes Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enhance customer operations through the collection, storage, and processing of data from mixed fleets of vehicles. Brisa Robotics specializes in transforming non-autonomous machines into autonomous fleets that gather valuable data to improve key performance metrics and overall operations for their customers. By providing modular robotic kits that can be retrofitted onto material handling equipment, such as forklifts and palletizers, Brisa enables its customers to optimize their warehouse layout and make informed decisions based on data and metrics. This article will delve into the challenges faced by Brisa, the solution they developed, and the tools and platforms they used to achieve their goals.
Full Article: Enhancing Robotics Operations: Brisa Robotics Leveraging AWS
Brisa Robotics Leverages Amazon Web Services to Enhance Customer Operations
In a bid to improve customer operations, Brisa Robotics is leveraging the power of Amazon Web Services (AWS) to collect, store, and process data from mixed fleets of vehicles. By transforming non-autonomous machines into fleets of autonomous vehicles, Brisa Robotics is able to gather valuable data that helps customers track key performance metrics and optimize their operations.
Enhancing Efficiency Through Modular Robotic Kits
Brisa Robotics specializes in providing unique modular robotic kits that enhance material handling equipment (MHE) such as forklifts, palletizers, and telehandlers. By retrofitting these robotic kits onto the MHE, Brisa enables its customers to collect data through their proprietary data collection platform. The kits support various use cases including stock-keeping unit (SKU) tracking, inspection of defects and objects, and material movement.
Challenges Faced by Brisa Robotics
The largest brewing company in the world approached Brisa Robotics with a need for better visibility into their warehouse operations and stock to increase productivity and improve safety. Brisa Robotics took on the challenge of developing a flexible data collection solution that would provide the necessary insights without requiring any changes to the customer’s existing infrastructure.
Designing a Flexible Solution with AWS
To meet the diverse requirements of its customers, Brisa Robotics developed a solution that leverages AWS to collect, process, and store data. By using pre-built components such as the stream manager in AWS IoT Greengrass V2, Brisa is able to collect data from the MHE robots and stream it to Amazon Kinesis Data Streams and Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3).
Processing and Analyzing Data with AWS Lambda and Amazon Timestream
To process the raw data collected from the Kinesis data stream, Brisa Robotics uses a Python-based AWS Lambda function. This function processes the data and stores it in an Amazon Timestream database. The data stored in AWS can then be queried by Brisa’s web application to generate custom dashboards that provide customers with valuable insights into their operations.
Collecting Data with Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2)
Brisa Robotics collects data from the robots using Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2), an open-source set of libraries and tools for building robot applications. By leveraging the scalability and deep integration of AWS with ROS2, Brisa Robotics is able to collect data on various parameters such as object detection, robot position, robot speed, fork movements, and system monitoring.
Streaming Data with AWS IoT Greengrass
Brisa Robotics uses AWS IoT Greengrass to subscribe to the ROS2 topic and forward the events into the Kinesis data stream. The stream manager component in AWS IoT Greengrass allows Brisa Robotics to process data streams and transfer them to the AWS Cloud. This setup enables Brisa Robotics to store and compress data locally until an internet connection is active, ensuring uninterrupted data collection even under intermittent network conditions.
Publishing Data to Amazon Kinesis Data Streams and Amazon S3
Brisa Robotics publishes the collected data to the Kinesis data stream and an Amazon S3 bucket through the Greengrass stream manager. By leveraging the stream manager Python SDK in their ROS nodes, Brisa Robotics is able to seamlessly transfer data from ROS to the stream manager. This ensures a smooth flow of data without any buffering or interruptions.
Conclusion
By leveraging AWS, Brisa Robotics has been able to develop a flexible data collection solution that empowers its customers to optimize their operations without requiring any changes to their existing infrastructure. With the ability to collect, process, and analyze data from mixed fleets of vehicles, Brisa Robotics is helping its customers improve productivity, increase safety, and make better-informed decisions.
Summary: Enhancing Robotics Operations: Brisa Robotics Leveraging AWS
Brisa Robotics utilizes Amazon Web Services (AWS) to collect, store, and process data from mixed fleets of vehicles, ultimately improving customer operations. By transforming non-autonomous machines into autonomous vehicles, Brisa helps customers track performance metrics and enhance efficiencies. Their modular robotic kits, retrofitted for material handling equipment, offer various use cases such as SKU tracking, inspections, and material movement. Brisa developed a flexible solution that collects, streams, and stores data in AWS without requiring changes to customer infrastructure. With the integration of AWS IoT Greengrass V2 components and ROS2, Brisa can efficiently collect and analyze data for improved decision-making. The streamlined process includes data collection, data streaming, and data storage using AWS services like Kinesis Data Streams and Timestream. Overall, Brisa leverages AWS to provide an innovative solution to enhance warehouse operations and ultimately optimize customer workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1: What is robotics and how does it work?
A1: Robotics is a branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and programming of robots. Robots are machines that can carry out various tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously. They typically consist of mechanical components, sensors, and computer systems, enabling them to interact with their environment and perform specific functions.
Q2: What are the main types of robots?
A2: There are several types of robots based on their intended application and design characteristics. Industrial robots are used in manufacturing processes, while medical robots assist in surgeries and medical procedures. Service robots cater to domestic or commercial tasks like cleaning, delivery, or reception. Autonomous robots can act independently without human intervention, while teleoperated robots are controlled by humans remotely.
Q3: How are robots programmed?
A3: Robots are programmed using a combination of programming languages and specific software, depending on their purpose. Common programming languages for robots include Python, C++, and Java. The programming can range from simple commands to complex algorithms, allowing robots to perform intricate tasks. Additionally, some robots can also learn through machine learning or artificial intelligence algorithms.
Q4: What are the benefits of robotics in different industries?
A4: Robotics offers numerous benefits across various industries. In manufacturing, robots automate repetitive and dangerous tasks, enhancing production efficiency and reducing human labor costs. In healthcare, robots assist in surgeries, rehabilitation, and elderly care, improving precision and patient outcomes. They are also used in agriculture, logistics, exploration, and many other sectors to improve productivity, accuracy, and safety.
Q5: What challenges does the field of robotics face?
A5: The field of robotics faces several challenges, including the complexity of programming and ensuring robots’ safety in human-populated environments. Developing robots that can adapt to unpredictable situations and understand human intentions is an ongoing challenge. Additionally, concerns about job displacement and ethical considerations regarding the use of robots are also areas that require attention and deliberation.
