In an article about GIS and Robotics, Directions Magazine reports that architects and other professionals can now use spatially intelligent robots to collect interior space data. With such mapping robots, it's possible to capture accurate data for over 10,000 square meters per day and to easily integrate it with your existing software. Even if the article is interesting, I regret that it doesn't mention the sources for its illustrations about these robotic systems built by Penobscot Bay Media, a woman-owned Maine company. Update (October 9, 2006): Jeanne Dietsch, CEO and co-founder of MobileRobots Inc., based in Amherst, NH, just informed me that her company builds the MapperBot and that Penobscot Bay Media is one of their resellers.
Let's start with an excerpt from the article of Directions Magazine about what can do these spatially intelligent robots.
The raw product of the robotic survey is a high resolution map that defines the interior space down to millimeter accuracy. These high resolution floor plans provide a bird’s eye view of the interior spaces in a building, including what is actually in them. These data are then processed and attributed by the survey team on tablet PCs in the field, capturing information about room use and occupancy. The final product is a high quality map of the interior space data of the facility that is ready to integrate into a GIS.
In fact, these kinds of robots can do more than that, as you can see by reading about the Spatial Robotic Solutions provided by Penobscot Bay Media.
And let's turn to some examples. All the images below have been extracted from a short video from Penobscot Bay Media (Windows Media format, 14.9 MB) (Credit: Penobscot Bay Media). As you can see on this first image, you just walk along with the robot while it picks all the spatial data for you.
Here is a close-up of this mapping robot, which has a laser range finder and a video camera. You also can remotely control the mapping robot.
Additionally, the robot can capture videos and still images of your environment and your facilities.
Now, let's return to Directions Magazine which says that these robots are really fast for capturing data.
Patricia McSherry, chief GIO at Langley Air Force Base, was an early adopter of the survey method. "We are continually looking for new and innovative ways to gather data in order to help base personnel make better decisions through GIS," said McSherry. "In this case, our search took us to the cutting edge of the robotics world."
McSherry put the technology through its paces recently during a pilot survey at Langley. During the survey, the robot was able to capture data for over 100,000 ft2 of office space per day, including cubicles and other non traditional features.
Of course, these 'intelligent' robots are faster than humans, but the real value is that they're not doing mistakes -- at least theoritically. For more information about these robots, you can read this fact sheet about Spatially Intelligent Robotics (PDF format, 2 pages).
Sources: Benton Yetman, Directions Magazine, October 5, 2006; and Penobscot Bay Media website
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