It’s an exciting time to be a lidar sensor.

Hi, it’s Velodyne Lidar’s Velarray M1600 solid-state lidar sensor here.

I am one of the newer kids in our sensor family. My friends in marketing asked me to share with you folks a few words on how I enable touchless mobile and last-mile delivery robots to operate autonomously and safely.

Getting to Know Me

I provide near-field perception to autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) so they can safely navigate in sidewalk, commercial and industrial settings. I do that by providing AMRs with perception data at a range from 0.1 meters to 30 meters. I also deliver a broad 32-degree vertical field of view.

All of this helps me detect a wide range of small to large objects. I power the precise mapping and obstacle avoidance that AMRs need to operate flawlessly, even in crowded areas, without human intervention.

You’ve probably heard the old saying, “Good things come in small packages.” Well, that’s me.

I am compact in size. I was built using our breakthrough micro-lidar array (MLA) architecture. MLA features our groundbreaking optical chip technology, with 8 lidar channels miniaturized to the size of a penny. The miniaturization combined with our proprietary, fully automated manufacturing process enables cost-effective, high-quality mass production.

My sleek, embeddable form factor makes for easy interior or exterior AMR integration. And I consume less power than other lidar sensors in my class. This extends system operation range and reduces heat load. My power efficiency bolsters sustainability across your applications.

My Partner in Your Success

I have more good news. We don’t stop at hardware.

We provide a full-stack solution that combines our lidar sensors – like me – with our Vella software which translates raw sensor data into actionable information. The software provides high-level perception outputs for roadways, sidewalks and indoor environments. This includes scene segmentation, object detection, velocity estimation, free space detection and lidar-based odometry.

And of course, we make it easy to combine sensors and software in an AMR. Our Vella Development Kit (VDK) allows developers to plug in our sensors with an off-the-shelf library of perception capabilities.

VDK users can build an AMR solution with Vella software that utilizes data I provide to detect people and any 3D obstacles. These obstacles include overhanging cables, small objects such as dunnage on the floor and changes in the floor like ramps, staircases and small holes.

For a last mile delivery application, my sensor data provides object and hazard detection to protect roadway users including pedestrians, bicyclist and pets.

One more important thing, especially if you are concerned that you are not a lidar expert. Our company is packed with smart engineers who are available to work with you to speed up innovation and help you get to market quicker.

Applications In Action

So, you are probably asking, how does this all work in real life. Let me explain.

I am certified industrial grade – IP67 which means I am dustproof and waterproof. I am designed for functional safety and durability. That means I support AMRs in a wide variety of challenging environmental conditions, including temperature, lighting, and precipitation.

I can enable robots to safely navigate crowded urban areas and corridors for delivery and security applications. This includes AMR operation in warehouses, retail centers, industrial plants and medical facilities. Other applications include sidewalk delivery, street sweepers, indoor mapping, infrastructure such as highway crossing, aerospace and military.

As you can see, I am designed to solve real-world problems.

Let’s Get to Work – Together

Does this sound like the full-stack lidar solution you want for your AMR?

We have a lots more great information we can share with you. Click here to learn more and keep our conversation going!