On 8 March a lecture was held on the development of autonomous systems, including specific examples of drones and Boston Dynamics' SPOT robot. The lecture was organised by a working group of Innovatiecluster Drachten and took place in the SKILL building in Drachten. 

Abeje Mersha is a professor of Unmanned Robotic Systems at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. He gave an interactive lecture on Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs).Abeje Mersha is a professor of Unmanned Robotic Systems at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. He gave an interactive lecture on Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). By using control algorithms for both autonomous and teleoperated aerial robots and aerial manipulators, these drones can fly even under extreme conditions. The robots are developed in the context of various application domains, such as safety, security, agriculture and renewable energy. Together with his colleagues and industrial partners, Ebeje developed various innovative and applicable technologies, such as interaction controllers, robust autonomous flight, optimal path planning, robust 2D and 3D SLAM, robust and precise autonomous landing, and drone docking station technology. These technologies have been realised on various ground robots, boats and aerial robots, ranging from miniature drones to mega drones, which can carry up to 500 kg of weight.

The lecture was followed by a live demonstration of, among other things, Boston Robotics' Spot robot. Spot is an agile, mobile robot dog that navigates a terrain with unrivalled mobility. It is often used when a situation is unsafe for humans, for example in the case of explosion hazards or chemical or toxic fumes. The robot can perform routine inspection tasks, capturing data safely, accurately and frequently. It can carry and drive up to 14 kg of inspection equipment, is easily controlled remotely via an intuitive tablet application and built-in stereo cameras. The Spot can also be programmed to perform repeatable autonomous missions for consistent data collection. The result is a safer, more efficient and more predictable operation. For more information about the robot, visit: https://www.bostondynamics.com/products/spot.

Also watch the video of the live demonstration: https://youtu.be/NsSlGp0WNug