Develon showed how one of its next-generation excavators can run autonomously with a Gravis Robotics aftermarket kit earlier this year at ConExpo.
In the video above, Develon’s new DX230LC-9 excavator is equipped with Gravis’ RACK, which stands for “rooftop autonomous control kit,” mounted atop its cab. Combining surround-view 3D LiDAR scanning, cameras and an AI-based control tablet, the excavator can run without an operator in the cab and without using remote control. After inputting a few instructions on a tablet, the excavator performs autonomously.
The operator uses the Gravis’ Slate touchscreen interface. By tapping the screen, the operator outlines the space to excavate and hits play. Operators can also use the tablet while in the cab or via a teleoperation station hundreds of miles away.
Basically, the operator uses a few reference points to define the work zone, and Gravis automatically creates a work plan.
Meanwhile, the control kit uses layers of real-time 3D surveying, visual situational awareness, geospatial positioning and performance-focused AI to perform the desired tasks. The system can deliver higher fill rates per bucket and adapt to changing ground conditions on site.
Powered byThe operator sees real-time 3D images of a bird’s eye view of the excavator, its surroundings as a colored geospatial map and an image of the excavator’s bucket position and cut on the Slate’s screen.
Columns on the side of the screen represent the height difference between the current surface and the target; so the operator can gauge the excavator’s progress.
The autonomous excavator can also work with machines operated manually, including dozers and wheel loaders. Develon brought in its DD130 dozer for the ConExpo demo.
The result is faster project completion, fewer idle machines and less repetitive strain on operators, the Develon announcer said. “This is not about replacing operators. It's about giving site managers a new choice for working smarter, safer and, of course, more efficient.”
Develon and Gravis Robotics have recently partnered to deploy Develon’s Real-X autonomous crawler excavator for industrial earthmoving operations with Swiss construction firm KIBAG. “This implementation introduces industrial automation to heavy construction, targeting process stability and mitigating skilled labor shortages in civil engineering,” Develon says.
Gravis Robotics kits are also in use on excavators in the U.S. The company reported August 17 $200 million in Series A funding from SoftBank to help Gravis expand into new global markets.
