AURORA
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Overview
Introduction
AURORA is a new all-in-one localization and mapping sensor developed by SLAMTEC company, innovatively integrated with LiDAR, vision, IMU, and deep learning. This sensor does not require external dependencies and can achieve indoor and outdoor three-dimensional high-precision mapping and provide six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) positioning upon startup. At the same time, the product is equipped with a complete tool chain products, including graphical interaction software Robostudio and SDK toolkits for secondary development, allowing users to quickly build personalized applications and accelerate the commercialization of downstream products. This product has the following features:
- Integrated with LiDAR + Binocular Vision + IMU multi-source fusion algorithm, supports external expansion (GPS/RTK, odometer, etc.)
- Provide indoor and outdoor 3D mapping and positioning functions
- Integrate AI technology to improve 3D perception capabilities
- Has a complete tool chain to support client application extensions
- Industry-leading system stability
Aurora System Composition
Aurora products provide customers with 3D mapping and positioning capabilities in an integrated form, consisting of LiDAR, binocular camera, and IMU. Aurora supports DC power supply from DC outlets. Users can access real-time maps and positioning data generated by Aurora via WiFi signals, as well as high-speed and stable data access via Ethernet interfaces.
Operating Principle and Usage
Aurora adopts SLAM algorithms uniquely combining laser, vision, and IMU with SLAM algorithm, integrating vision and laser characteristics to achieve more than 10 map data fusions per second and the ability to draw maps up to one million square meters. The system block diagram is shown below, and the output of the system can be defined as the upper layer tool chain for secondary development, including the visual interaction tool Robostudio, C++ SDK, JAVA SDK, Restful API SDK, ROS SDK, etc.
Usage Scenarios
This system is suitable for the following fields:
- Environmental mapping
- Construction engineering
- Indoor and outdoor robot mapping and positioning
- Humanoid robots, robot dogs
Specifications
Core Performance Indicators
| Parameters | Specific indicators |
|---|---|
| Power input | DC12V-2A (DC5.5*2.1 mm) |
| Power | 10W (typical) |
| Data interface | 1 x USB-C, 1 × Ethernet (RJ45) |
| Wireless connection | WIFI |
| Weight | 505g |
| Operating temperature | 0℃~40℃ |
Core Parameter Indicators
| Core parameters | Specific indicators |
|---|---|
| 2D map resolution | 2cm/5cm/10cm adjustable |
| Maximum mapping area | >1,000,000 ㎡ |
| Repositioning | Support global repositioning |
| Mapping continuation | Support |
| Mapping and positioning mode | Laser+vision+IMU multi-source fusion |
| Multi-sensor synchronization mechanism | Hardware time synchronization |
| Lidar distance measurement | Maximum range 40m@70% reflectivity |
| Camera specifications | Binocular fish eye global camera, supports HDR, FOV 180°, 6cm baseline |
| Camera frame rate | Typical 10Hz, customizable 15/30Hz |
| Maximum tilt angle | No requirements, (to ensure the 2D mapping effect, it is recommended that the tilt angle does not exceed 30 °) |
Product Basic Usage
Precautions
- Please do not collide. Falls or collisions may cause equipment damage, leading to malfunctions or even complete equipment failure.
- Keep the radar and lens parts clean and tidy, do not touch them directly with your hands. The device can be cleaned with a cleaning cloth.
- Ensure proper device cooling; during use, please use a tripod and do not cover the heat dissipation area of the body.
Relay Module Power Supply
- Interface mode: DC5521
- Input voltage(current): DC12V (2A)
- Power supply recommendation:
- 1. Use a 12V 2A power adapter to meet the normal power supply;
- 2. Use a battery with an output voltage of 12V and a capacity greater than 5000mAh to meet the normal power supply needs for over 2 hours of continuous operation
Indicator
- The status of the indicator lights is as follows:
| Indicator status | Description |
|---|---|
| Red long bright | Booting up |
| Yellow flicker | Startup complete, waiting for initialization |
| Yellow long bright | System initialization completed, waiting to start mapping |
| Green long bright | Mapping |
| Red flicker | Device exception |
| Green flicker | Pause mapping |
Button
- Power button:
- Long press the Power button for 8 seconds, the device enters standby mode
- In standby mode, short press the Power button to turn on the device
- Pause button:
- Short press the Pause button, the device will pause mapping
Ethernet
The default configuration mode for Aurora Ethernet is static IP mode with an IP address of 192.168.11.1. The computer is connected to Ethernet and 192.168.11.1 can be accessed through a browser to obtain device information for Aurora and perform simple configuration on Aurora.
WIFI
Aurora has an onboard 2.4G/5G dual-band WiFi chip, which is configured in AP mode by default. After Aurora is turned on, a hotspot named "SLAMWARE-Aurora-xxxxxx" will be automatically generated, and the specific hotspot name can be found on the label of the device.
Host Device Software
Connect to Aurora
- Remote UI is a graphical interactive software, Robostudio can establish a connection with Aurora to implement functions such as mapping, positioning, monitoring, and uploading configuration files. Click to download Robostudio and Remote UI, then install Robostudio, and run RoboStudio.exe.
- Start RoboStudio, click "File" --> "Robots", right click in the blank space of the "Robot" navigation bar, and select "Manually Connect Robot".
- In the pop-up window, enter "192.168.11.1" in the "IP address" field, and then click the "Connect" button to connect the device.
- Select "Debug" - > "Scene Strategy", select the appropriate scene strategy in the sidebar, click "Settings", and then click "Restart Application".
- Scene strategy description:
Aurora supports two scenarios, and users can choose the appropriate scenario strategy according to the actual mapping scenario. The scenarios and their scenario strategies recommended are as follows.
| Typical scenario | Scene features | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Office buildings, offices, government centers, medical institutions, hotels | Laser observation is relatively abundant, and there are many similar scenes in the
environment, which are prone to erroneous closure problems. |
Indoor (default) |
| Large parking lots, shopping malls, subway stations, high-speed rail waiting halls, large government centers, medical institutions, hotel lobbies Typical outdoor scenes, parks, streets, lawns, circular stadiums, gymnasiums |
The scene is wide, the scene area is large, and it is easy to exceed the laser
observation range. The overall observation is relatively sparse, the environment is changeable, and there are various terrain adaptations. |
outdoor |
Initialize Aurora
- Point the Aurora camera at a place with more features. Click Robostudio - > "SLAM" - > "Clear Map". After clearing the map, an "exclamation mark" will be displayed on the RoboStudio interface. Keep the device stationary and wait for initialization to complete.
- After initialization is complete, the exclamation mark disappears, the map is displayed, and the indicator light turns green.
- Please note the following two points:
- During initialization, ensure that the device is as stable as possible.
- During initialization, Aurora should target areas with more features within 2-3 meters, avoiding environments with fewer features such as open plains, refractive environments such as large areas of glass, and areas with more dynamic objects to ensure sufficient initialization features and obtain better data results. After standing still for 3 seconds and waiting for the system to successfully initialize, move the device and enter the working state.
Start Mapping
After initialization is complete, you can proceed with mapping. Route planning and advice:
- Ensure as many observations as possible during the scanning process
- Try to avoid scanning new areas as much as possible, and you can take a certain loop
- Avoid the impact of dynamic objects as much as possible.
- Walk as many closed-loop loops as possible
- Do not repeat the closed-loop area to reduce memory consumption
Precautions for mapping:
- Please clear the map before preparing to create a complete new map, otherwise the map optimization engine cannot be guaranteed to take effect.
- Keep the equipment level. Generally, the equipment should not be tilted more than 20 degrees as much as possible.
- Keep the equipment stable and avoid significant shaking. Sudden stops or movements will affect the accuracy and effectiveness of mapping to a certain extent.
- After the loop returns to the starting point, keep the robot moving, take more overlapping paths, and do not stop moving immediately.
- After returning to the origin of the loop, if the map is not closed, continue walking until the loop is closed.
- When creating maps with your hand, walk at a normal walking speed. When encountering spaces with fewer features or narrow spaces, or when turning, it is recommended to slow down.
- When scanning indoor scenes involving multiple rooms or floors, please open the indoor door in advance. When passing through the door, scan slowly and stay on the side of the door for a period of time to ensure that the features on both sides of the door can be scanned at the same time. If the door is not open during scanning, slowly turn around before approaching the door, turn the instrument away from the door, turn your back to open the door, and enter slowly.
In and out:
- It is necessary to enter and exit sideways to ensure that the laser and vision have a common field of vision before entering, and better connect the data.
- Entering and exiting a confined space: After scanning a confined space, it is necessary to observe whether the reference objects are sufficient and whether the structural features are obvious during the scanning process.
If the above two conditions are not met, when exiting, try to align the perspective with areas with good structured features as much as possible, while avoiding excessive perspective switching.
View Trajectories and Point Clouds
After synchronization, AuroraCore-remote Visualizer can be used to view visually generated trajectories and point clouds.
- Double-click aurar_remote.exe to run AuroraCore-remote Visualizer. In the pop-up window, enter the IP 192.168.11.1 in the "Input the sddress Manually" field, and then click the "Connect" button to connect the device.
- Click "Toggle Frame View" on the right toolbar to display the images and feature points observed by the camera.
Save Map
Click "File" in RoboStudio - > "Map Editor" - > "Save to File" to save the map to your computer.
Resources
Documents
SDK
Support
Technical Support
If you need technical support or have any feedback/review, please click the Submit Now button to submit a ticket, Our support team will check and reply to you within 1 to 2 working days. Please be patient as we make every effort to help you to resolve the issue.
Working Time: 9 AM - 6 PM GMT+8 (Monday to Friday)