An early prototype of an Olis Robotics and Olympus Controls tele-robotic system designed to reduce remote data center operating costs. Image: Olis Robotics
SEATTLE – Olis Robotics and Olympus Controls today announced a new memorandum of understanding that would explore developing assisted autonomy applications for new capabilities in the mobile robotics space.
Don Pickering, Olis Robotics
“Olis Robotics’ artificial-intelligence software platform plugs into existing robots to allow for operators based anywhere in the world to command new levels of precision, safety, and efficiency in remotely operated robotics,” said Don Pickering, CEO of Olis Robotics. “This evolving innovation solves for the challenge of acquiring highly skilled labor in rural facilities, such as data centers.”
The company’s software integrates existing robotic systems into a singular, intuitive, remote control platform. It enables an operator to control multiple robots remotely to service dynamic and unstructured industrial locations.
Adding AI to remote robots
Olis Robotics was formerly known as BluHaptics, founded in 2013 as a spinout from the Applied Physics Lab at the University of Washington. Olis develops a next-generation software platform that expands the capabilities of pilot-controlled service robots in dynamic environments, including space, subsea, and remote locations. Olympus Controls is an engineering services company that specializes in the integration of motion control, machine vision, and robotic technologies.
As part of the agreement, Olympus Controls will integrate and test Olis’ software platform with existing robot platforms, giving them a variety of general maintenance tasks to complete, including ones that require high precision, or ones deemed dangerous for humans. The companies said they expect to produce a viable remotely operated AI-robotic solution for industrial clients as early as 2020.
“Our collaboration with Olis Robotics will allow industrial areas, which often present potentially time-consuming, expensive, difficult or hazardous situations to employees, to be partially maintained by remotely operated robots, while providing customers increased uptime at their facilities at lower costs,” said Silas Robertson, division manager at Olympus Controls. “We expect this advanced platform to allow for robotics to be a tool that can assist humans and improve the overall productivity of companies.”
