How do you ensure efficient and damage-free transport of trucks at distribution centres? ICR3ATE contributes with smart vision cameras to this extensive project of VISTA. This project runs until mid 2022.
ICR3ATE went in February 2019 participate in the Interreg project VISTA. This is a collaboration between Dutch and German industry and educational institutions with a contribution of EU subsidy. The Arnhem Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN) is the coordinator of this R&D project.
The goal of project VISTA is to ensure efficient and damage free transport at Distribution Centers (DC). The problem with the current non autonomous truck combinations is that damage occurs regularly during docking (driving backwards to the specific ‘gate’ for loading and unloading). There are all kinds of reasons for this damage:
- Larger and more complex truck combinations
- distraction in the truck cabine
- professional competence of drivers varies with international transport
- fatigue
- high logistical workload on DCs
Intended solution
The envisaged solution consists of a number of components:
- Give the driver very precise steering instructions (driver assitance from VISTA) for ‘parking in the dock’.
- Determine the type of truck combination using Computer Vision techniques when entering a DC
- Use path planning software (linked to the logistics software on a DC) to ensure that the steering instructions are compiled for one specifically characterised truck combination from ‘here to there’.
- Follow the parking withComputer Vision and adjust the steering instructions in real time
- Do all this in a ‘non-invasive way’ with the existing truck combinations of which there are many different types
- So use separate Head Up Displays, VR glasses, Tablet & App, haptic feedback and possibly eye tracking for communication with the driver.
Required techniques
Without being complete right now, we look at the following system building blocks:
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- Stereovision camera technology for determining the truck combination properties
- We’ll start with the ZED for Lab conditions
- (Near) real time communication (C)-V2X scenarios between a DC controller and the truck combinations
- We look at WLAN Mesh, 5G and IEEEE802.11P and combinations
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- Head Up Displays, VR glasses, Tablet & App, haptic feedback and possibly eye trackin
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Role and contribution ICR3ATE
The R&D project is split up in different work packages:
WP0 – Project preparation (HAN)
WP1 – Business case (Bricklog)
WP2 – Vision-based RTLS (Track32)
WP3 – Vehicle planning & control (V-Tron)
WP4 – User interface (Coduct)
WP5 – Integration and demonstration (V-Tron)
WP6 – Project management (HAN)
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ICR3ATE participates in all substantive work packages, in which we primarily contribute to WP2. This contribution is mainly focused on Real Time Location Services infrastructure. Think Smart Vision Cameras, NVIDIA Jetson TX2 CPU boards, real time WLAN connectivity, real time application messaging services via e.g. sockets.io and PubNub, IoT Edge Computing and software control & distribution via Ansible of Balena. We work together with Track32 from Wageningen, who leads this work package.
< strong>Participants in the project
Project VISTA has a duration of 3.5 years (1-1-2019 to 30-6-2022) and has a relatively large number of participants. Those who make a direct substantive and generating contribution are:
HAN – lead partner, path planning+following, SW tools
Track32 – machine vision, AI: RTLS+vehicle configuration detection
ICR3ATE – smart camera system ((stereo-)cam + computing)
Coduct – HMI, user friendliness
Recreate – HMI, AR/VR/MR technology
Bricklog – wide logistics network, logistics SW solutions
V-Tron – smart mobility solutions, aftermarket support systems
HRW – system level architecture, integration, usability studies
InterEU – cross-border communication support
Rhewatech – Interreg project support