A consortium of German supply chain solution providers and organisation have launched an European research project IMOCO, which aims to enable intelligent trucks to navigate autonomously in a factory or warehouse.
IMOCO, which stands for ‘intelligent motion control’, is dedicated to the safe use of mobile robotic systems in fast-moving intralogistics environments. The project is led by the Kion Group and its subsidiary Still.
The consortium also includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, Hahn Schickard, IMST GmbH, Nuromedia, and DigitalTwin Technology. IMOCO is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany and, in the European Union, through the research incubator Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking (KDT JU), which provides funding for public-private partnerships engaged in cutting-edge research.
According to the project, semi-autonomous trucks are already being used profitably in many warehouses and production environments. Yet these solutions still have limitations, for example although it is now standard for these trucks to independently identify obstacles and brake accordingly, much more is needed for them to have full self-driving capability.
Intelligent trucks need to navigate in the warehouse entirely autonomously, without any exceptions the team said. The vehicles should be able to avoid obstacles, find the most efficient routes, and analyse surroundings. IMOCO aims to address four scenarios in which AI can be used, namely navigation, the collection and movement of goods, and delivery to a final position.
The scope of the project also looks to sets a high bar for the truck in terms of flexibility, environmental perception, solution-oriented strategies, and secure connectivity.
“The prospects for the IMOCO project look very promising. Our intensive research and development efforts are focused on the desired advances in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor technology, and machine perception,” said Henry Puhl, chief technology officer of Kion Group AG.
“The results of the research project can be applied wherever autonomous functions for mobile robots or trucks add value for our customers.”
IMOCO will see a demonstrator set up at the Still site in Hamburg that will bring together all the work of the national partners. Still will also be coordinating the integration of the components. The aim of the project is to use a semi-autonomous or automated industrial truck in a realistic warehouse environment.
