Nav2
Everything you need it to be and more!
A breakthrough platform
nav2 by CrossWing is the breakthrough, customizable robotics platform featuring a proprietary foundation that allows us to continually and efficiently design and develop an ever-growing array of robots.
Through that foundation, comprised of the robot’s structural and electronic hardware, along with its supporting API software, each model can be tailored to meet the unique requirements of specific vertical markets including healthcare, security, in-home personal support and retail.
In essence, the nav2 robotics platform is identical to an automobile manufacturers’ flexible production platform upon which numerous varied vehicle models are produced.
As such, nav2 was crafted from day-one to facilitate these 2 key factors:
- all of the robot models share a common hardware motion base module
- the innovative exoskeleton design of the robots leverages proven mass production injection moulding techniques to make production runs of hundreds or even thousands of robots in the shortest possible timeframe and at the lowest price points available anywhere, a true reality
At the heart of any robot (sometimes referred to as a ‘roving sensor’), motion and sight are the 2 key navigation elements that facilitate their ultra-precise control and allow them to quickly, accurately and safely ‘identify, analyze and react’, while they move within their ambient environment.
In that regard, we have designed and patented key technologies including:
- a unique holonomic motion control system that allows the robots to instantly move in any direction within a 360° radius
- a 360° vision system that sees in all directions simultaneously
Autonomous Navigation
Specifically, the robots are designed to move throughout their surrounding environments either semi-autonomously or autonomously under software or hardware control, available through any of the following options:
- our patented onscreen Panorama navigation interface accessible via touchscreen or computer mouse/touchpad
- our patented Avatar navigation system whereby an operator wearing a set of VR glasses connects to the robot via a network connection from anywhere in the world, allowing them to instantaneously and safely guide the robot’s 360° motion – in effect when the operator turns their head the robot does the same, a key element of functionality now commonly known as Digital Twinning
- zero latency control using a small software module linked to an off-the-shelf joystick-based console game controller
- custom software programming via our set of proprietary APIs
An ecosystem for growth
Much akin to the ecosystem of apps and hardware-based add-ons constantly being developed for the iPhone, the robots are specifically designed to be both software and hardware enhanced by a constantly expanding list of 3rd party partner organizations, each requiring a robot to round out their offering to their respective client-bases and their ranks are comprised of the following:
- OEMs
- turn-key solution developers
- turn-key system integrators
- software App developers – one example is AI-driven software that facilitates numerous applications including the following: executes body language detection for healthcare or security applications; delivers enhanced customer experiences within retail stores in the form of a robot greeter and wayfinding guide capable of dynamic product identification, inventory tracking and dispensing how-to advice to the store’s customers
- hardware component creators – example: developers of sensors that sense, analyze and report back their findings, relative to the robot’s surrounding environment, from a healthcare or security standpoint
From a business standpoint, our bottom-line message to those 3rd parties is simply “Bring It On” … to the platform, as it were.
To do so, they will utilize the nav2 platform as the springboard that will save them the inordinate amounts of time, effort and money required to get a robot of their own to market, including the commensurate research, iterative design, as well as the provisioning of scaled production that is essential to completing the task.
Turnkey Examples Include
S/W | Add-Ons | Telehealth, Proof of Medication Consumption and Remote Well-Being Check-Ins via Video Telepresence purposes, automated pill and dispensers and much more |
H/W | Add-Ons | examples include: robotic arms for gesturing |
S/W | APIs | the Application Programming Interfaces that allow 3rd parties to develop turn-key solutions on the platform |
S/W | Core Code Modules | the software building blocks upon which end-user applications are built* |
S/W | nav2 Operating system | enables the platform’s hardware and software elements (including the holonomic base) to seamlessly work together (Currently ROS – the Robot Operating System/robotic services middleware) |
H/W | nav2 / nav2 Ultra ™ | the holonomic motion base, allowing the robot to instantly move in any direction; features powerful quiet brushless motors and advanced battery systems |
* Core Code Modules that were developed and completed in-house by CrossWing include:
- Surround 360° Vision System with Video Transmission – Secure WebRTC Protocols.
- Semi-Autonomous 360° Smart-Motion ™ Control System using a touchscreen-based device (tablet, smartphone, laptop with a touchscreen display) or VR (Virtual Reality) Goggles; Control can be achieved remotely or locally; Local control may also be achieved through a programmed gamepad or other wireless controller; Fully Autonomous Motion Control is under development
- Obstacle Avoidance – based on camera image data / Collision Detection – based on time-of-flight proximity sensors
- Control of internally installed Audio Speakers and Microphone Array