Our Technologies

Our Technologies

KELO Drives

The basic building block for the next generation of mobile service robots

The KELO drive is a unique novel drive concept for mobile robots. It is one of the basic building blocks of a highly modular, configurable and customizable, cost-effective platform concept for rapid design and manufacturing of professional mobile service robots. With only one single KELO drive and some castor wheels you can already build a full-fledged robot with a payload of 125 kg
… more.

KELO Drives

Mechatronics building blocks

To build a complete mobile robot requires further electronic key and mechatronic components:

  • A power distribution board (PDB) supplies power to the KELO drives and other components, includes the electronics for the charging system, provides various protection mechanism (against overtemperature, overcurrent, overvoltage), interfaces the onboard PC with the KELO drives, and can activated and deactivate various onboard components.
  • An I/O board processes various digital and analogue input and output signals, generates PWM signals to control DC motors..
    A cost-efficient high-precision IMU/gyro provides heading information for a robot with an unprecedented accuracy and drift.

… more.

Software

Controlling fleets of mobile logistic robots
Our robots are equipped with software package implementing a variety of essential functions necessary for operating a fleet of mobile logistic robots:

  • A customizable platform controller with velocity and force torque control controls the motion of our robots and makes them compliant to external forces
  • Autonomous navigation package includes several navigation approaches such as waypoint navigation, (context-dependent) constraint-based navigation, or visual servoing (for local opera-tions such as docking)

… more.

Our products

We have implemented the platform concept in a number of off-the-shelve robots. We use similar or identical component across different models of mobile robots each serving a specific task. The robots themselves can be easily scaled and adapted to the needs of customers in terms of payload,
vehicle geometry, or design.

Our robots can operate in two modes: They can either operate fully autonomously or interactively support human workers in accomplishing their tasks.

  • They operate autonomously and transport loads as long as there is no interaction with a human worker.
  • When they approach a human or an obstacle they reduce their speed AND their kinetic energy and then keep moving at a kinetic energy level, which cannot cause any harm or damage.
  • When a contact is established by a human worker for example by grasping a haptic interface the robots go in an interactive operation mode. In this mode they can be arbitrarily pushed back or moved around with a minimal amount of force.
  • On the press of a button they go back into autonomous mode and continue executing their task.
KELO products

...safer,

Our robots are inherently safe. Inherent safety means that our robots can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be stopped and pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe. Their use will increase the safety in your facility and decrease the number of accidents.

...greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 5:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 2:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption.

...customizable,

Our robots can be customized to a customer’s need very quickly. We have adopted a design concept, which was initially developed in the automotive industry: the platform concept. Our robots are built of a construction kit of modular, quasi standardized components. The modularity of our components together with the high configurability of our KELO drives enables us to (re-)design our robots according to a customer’s needs with limited effort and in a short period of time. Furthermore, using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production.

...more efficient!

Our robots are collaborative. They can interact with human workers and support them in the execution of their task. It is a meanwhile widely adopted insight that full automation in many industrial contexts is a dead end and that teams consisting of humans and robots can reduce idle times and increase efficiency to a significant extent. (see white paper World Economic Forum 2020). A prerequisite is that humans and robots can interact smoothly and intuitively. Our robots have this ability. As a matter of fact our robots can improve the efficiency of your operations by 40% or more.

...safer,

Our robots are inherently safe. They can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be stopped and pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe. Their use will increase the safety in your facility and decrease the number of accidents.

...greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 5:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 2:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption.

...customizable,

Our robots can be customized to a customer’s need very quickly. We have adopted a design concept, which was initially developed in the automotive industry: the platform concept. Our robots are built of a construction kit of modular, quasi standardized components. The modularity of our components together with the high configurability of our KELO drives enables us to (re-)design our robots according to a customer’s needs with limited effort and in a short period of time. Furthermore, using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production.

...more efficient!

Our robots are collaborative. They can interact with human workers and support them in the execution of their task. It is a meanwhile widely adopted insight that full automation in many industrial contexts is a dead end and that teams consisting of humans and robots can reduce idle times and increase efficiency to a significant extent. (see white paper World Economic Forum 2020). A prerequisite is that humans and robots can interact smoothly and intuitively. Our robots have this ability. As a matter of fact our robots can improve the efficiency of your operations by 40% or more.

...safer,

Our robots are inherently safe. They can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be stopped and pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe. Their use will increase the safety in your facility and decrease the number of accidents.

...greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 5:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 2:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption.

...customizable,

Our robots can be customized to a customer’s need very quickly. We have adopted a design concept, which was initially developed in the automotive industry: the platform concept. Our robots are built of a construction kit of modular, quasi standardized components. The modularity of our components together with the high configurability of our KELO drives enables us to (re-)design our robots according to a customer’s needs with limited effort and in a short period of time. Furthermore, using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production.

...more efficient!

Our robots are collaborative. They can interact with workers and support them in the execution of their task. It is a meanwhile widely adopted insight that full automation in many industrial contexts is a dead end and that teams consisting of humans and robots can reduce idle times and increase efficiency to a significant extent. (see white paper World Economic Forum 2020). A prerequisite is that humans and robots can interact smoothly and intuitively. Our robots have this ability. As a matter of fact our robots can improve the efficiency of your operations by 40% or more.

...safer,

Our robots are inherently safe. They can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be stopped and pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe. Their use will increase the safety in your facility and decrease the number of accidents.

...greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 5:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 2:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption.

...customizable,

Our robots can be customized to a customer’s need very quickly. We have adopted a design concept, which was initially developed in the automotive industry: the platform concept. Our robots are built of a construction kit of modular, quasi standardized components. The modularity of our components together with the high configurability of our KELO drives enables us to (re-)design our robots according to a customer’s needs with limited effort and in a short period of time. Furthermore, using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production.

...more efficient!

Our robots are collaborative. They can interact with workers and support them in the execution of their task. It is a meanwhile widely adopted insight that full automation in many industrial contexts is a dead end and that teams consisting of humans and robots can reduce idle times and increase efficiency to a significant extent. (see white paper World Economic Forum 2020). A prerequisite is that humans and robots can interact smoothly and intuitively. Our robots have this ability. As a matter of fact our robots can improve the efficiency of your operations by 40% or more.

Software

Controlling fleets of mobile logistic robots

Our robots are equipped with software package implementing a variety of essential functions necessary for operating a fleet of mobile logistic robots:

  • A customizable platform controller with velocity and force torque control controls the motion of our robots and makes them compliant to external forces
  • Autonomous navigation package includes several navigation approaches such as waypoint navigation, (context-dependent) constraint-based navigation, or visual servoing (for local opera-tions such as docking)
  • Our localization package also includes a number of redundant and complimentary localization methods such as 2D/3D lidar based localization, visual odometry, and classical reflector based localization.
  • The Fleet Management System (FMS) includes a central control unit with an operator console, software for task allocation and monitoring, and for remote monitoring, diagnosis, and maintenance.
  • Our AI-based perception package includes software for object detection and localization e.g. for roll container and pallets, and for detecting humans.
  • Our human-robot interaction package includes software for task assignment and execution monitoring via graphical user interface (GUI) and for force-torque amplification via haptic interface.

Mechatronics building blocks

To build a complete mobile robot requires further electronic key and mechatronic components:

  • A power distribution board (PDB) supplies power to the KELO drives and other components, includes the electronics for the charging system, provides various protection mechanism (against overtemperature, overcurrent, overvoltage), interfaces the onboard PC with the KELO drives, and can activated and deactivate various onboard components.
  • An I/O board processes various digital and analogue input and output signals, generates PWM signals to control DC motors..
    A cost-efficient high-precision IMU/gyro provides heading information for a robot with an accuracy of 0,2º and a drift of 4º/hr.
  • A haptic interface for cobot applications allows an operator to manually control the motion of the robot or implement a shared motion control scheme.
  • A dock and tow mechanism enables our robots to automatically dock to roll containers for parcels or other packaged goods und undock them at the target location.
  • A lift and carry mechanism (under development) enables our robots to pick up and drop pallets or logistic pods.
  • An intelligent charging station allows the robot to automatically recharge their batteries during operation

KELO Drives

The basic building block for the next generation of mobile service robots

The KELO drive is a unique novel drive concept for mobile robots. It is one of the basic building blocks of a highly modular, configurable and customizable, cost-effective platform concept for rapid design and manufacturing of professional mobile service robots. With only one single KELO drive and some castor wheels you can already build a full-fledged robot with a payload of 125 kg

The KELO drive consists of two differentially driven gearless hub wheels. The torque, which these wheels can generate, is controlled in such a way that the drive can be pushed backward against the commanded motion by an external force. The KELO drives are suspended via a pivot axis, like the Caster wheels of a shopping cart. The combination of highly back-drivable hub motors and the suspension via a pivot axis leads to the two outstanding properties of the KELO drives: a) they are inherently safe, which means they can be pushed back by a human and b) in combination with a second drive they are omni-directional. The KELO drives can carry 25 times their own weight and have an unmatched payload to weight ratio

Kelo Drive

...cheaper,

Our robots come at a fraction of the price of comparable robots. To achieve this cost reduction, we have transferred the platform concept, which was developed in automotive industry and has led to significant cost savings there, into the design of mobile service robots. Our robots are built off a set of re-usable functional modules. Using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production …

greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 9:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 3:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption…

safer!

Our robots are inherently safe. Inherent safety means that our robots can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe

...cheaper,

Our robots come at a fraction of the price of comparable robots. To achieve this cost reduction, we have transferred the platform concept, which was developed in automotive industry and has led to significant cost savings there, into the design of mobile service robots. Our robots are built off a set of re-usable functional modules. Using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production …

greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 9:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 3:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increase throughput and reduces time and energy consumption…

safer!

Our robots are inherently safe. Inherent safety means that our robots can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe

...cheaper,

Our robots come at a fraction of the price of comparable robots. To achieve this cost reduction, we have transferred the platform concept, which was developed in automotive industry and has led to significant cost savings there, into the design of mobile service robots. Our robots are built off a set of re-usable functional modules. Using the same components in different robot models facilitates economy of scale and reduces cost both in development and in series production.

greener,

Our robots have a payload to weight ratio of 9:1, while comparable robots have typically a ratio of around 3:1 or even less. This means that our robots consume significantly less power since they have to move much less total weight at the same payload. Furthermore, our robots are omni-directional. They can move almost instantly in any direction and in any orientation. They can navigate more efficiently, which increases throughput and reduces time and energy consumption.

safer!

Our robots are inherently safe. Inherent safety means that our robots can be pushed back or aside if they get into a human's way or approach the human in an undesired way. Humans and robot can safely move side-by-side even in narrow space. This property will be indispensable for future generations of mobile service robots, which shall operate in close proximity to humans. The robots inherit this property from our KELO drives. Our drives do not have gearboxes and can be pushed back, even when they are actuated. The drives have a Caster-wheel suspension like the wheels of a shopping cart. These two properties together make our robots inherently safe.