Scientific and Industrial Instruments
SurfaceID took part in the concept development and mechanical design of the central controller of an entire open integration platform for robotic systems. The device would become the user interface connected to instrumentations, sensor packages, autonomy softwares and the main equipment drive systems. The remote controller had to be sturdy and airtight so that it could be used even among rain, sand and mud—all while maintaining the optimal ergonomy of a handheld controller.
Humanistic Robotics (HRI), a Philadelphia robotics company that began by automating landmine clearance, needed a better way to operate robots, vehicles and industrial equipment safely from a distance. Traditional “belly box” controllers and military control consoles were bulky and tiring to use through a full workday.
SurfaceID took part in the concept development and mechanical design of the handheld at the heart of HRI’s Safe Remote Control System. That handheld is the operator’s interface to the machine’s instruments, sensors, autonomy software and drive systems. HRI released the system in July 2013. Its first customers were the University of Pennsylvania’s robotics engineering program and 5D Robotics, which built it into unmanned ground vehicle programs serving the U.S. Army.
The controller had to stay sturdy and sealed in the field. HRI rated the handheld transmitter IP66, designed it to meet MIL-STD-810 for ruggedness and specified operation from -20 to 60 °C, all in a package under 1.1 lb (0.5 kg).
The handheld takes its form from the video game controllers younger operators already know, so it requires almost no training, and experienced operators pick it up quickly. Its ergonomics let an operator work comfortably for an entire day.
HRI’s SafetySense technology keeps operation consistent and safe, especially when large equipment moves around people and property. A red emergency stop sits front and centre. The system talks over an encrypted 900 MHz link with up to a mile of line-of-sight range and runs eight hours on a charge. In 2018, HRI’s safety technology became the foundation of a new company, FORT Robotics, which still offers a Safe Remote Control for robots, vehicles and heavy equipment.
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