FZI relies on ifm’s O3R for ESA Space Challenge

In a competition organised by the European Space Agency (ESA), robot prototypes both from industrial companies and from research institutions are competing against each other. The challenge is to collect and evaluate resources in a terrain that is similar to the Moon while taking measurements and creating maps. The winning team from the FZI Research Centre for Information Technology has been using ifm’s O3R platform in their three robots.

Autonomous robots for the Moon

Exploring the Moon as a potential living space is the focus of the Space Resources Challenge organised by ESA in collaboration with the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC). As part of the challenge, industrial companies and research institutions are to develop innovative technologies to explore resources on the Moon. In a 2,500 square metre hall with a moon-like terrain, various robot prototypes were to compete against each other. One of the international teams that qualified for the final of the challenge is from the FZI Research Center for Information Technology. And it was the ARISE consortium that prevailed over the three other finalists. In addition to the FZI Research Centre for Information Technology, this consortium also included partners from ETH Zurich and the universities of Zurich, Basel and Bern.

The FZI has many years of expertise in the field of mobile robotics, including 3D navigation and environment interpretation. One of the most important components enabling the mobile robots to orient themselves is an O3R system from ifm. The central component of this hardware platform is an edge device to which up to six 3D cameras and numerous other sensors can be connected. A powerful Linux system equipped with an NVIDIA video processing unit forms the hardware basis. The PC for the robots’ is connected via Ethercat. With the available ROS 2 drivers, the system can be easily integrated into the robotics applications.

ifm offers corresponding camera heads that are either equipped with 3D sensors or with a combination of 3D and 2D sensors with different aperture angles and resolutions. Based on this information, the mobile robot can orientate itself in an unknown environment to fulfil its mission task, such as collecting rock samples.