Markets and Applications Track

In this session, Ali Asmari, Director of Infrastructure Automation & AI at ULC Technologies, will describe the engineering challenges, options and achievements associated with developing the Robotic Roadworks and Excavation System (RRES), an all-electric robotic platform that combines below-ground locating sensors and AI to transform the way utility companies, energy networks, and the construction industry excavate and conduct roadworks. He will also discuss how the RRES was designed and engineered to overcome a wide range of difficulties faced when conducting traditional utility excavations, including third-party damage, disruption to traffic, and carbon emissions. Asmari will also review current capabilities of RRES include below-ground sensing, cutting the road surface, soft-touch excavation, backfill, and reinstatement. He will also review various RRES spin-off technologies including AUSMOS – a transportable GPR platform to map below-ground assets autonomously, and VEST – a vacuum excavation toolhead that uses supersonic air nozzles to agitate and break up the soil.

The agriculture sector is increasing looking to new technologies and business models, including robotics systems, to meet the world’s increasing demand for food and animal feed. Thankfully, advances in hardware and software technologies, ongoing research, and the availability of investment, have made it possible to develop and deploy practical, robust, commercial class robotics products, technologies and services in support of agriculture. But there is much more to do… many opportunities exist for agricultural robotics OEMS and providers of enabling technologies for agricultural robotics systems.

In this session, attendees will be provided with an overview of the agricultural robotics sector including a review of existing ag robotics systems, as well as highlighting current opportunities and gating factors. In addition, the latest platforms and technologies used to create agricultural robotics systems will be reviewed.