French startup Exwayz introduced its pioneering Exwayz 3D Mapping (3DM), an all-in-one software that creates city-scale 3D point clouds of outdoor areas in real-world coordinates, at CES 2024.
This all-in-one solution is designed to process raw data from LiDAR sensors. It fuses it with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, creating 3D maps of expansive environments, from bustling cities to vast industrial areas, accurate down to 2 centimeters (cm).
Integrating LiDAR and GNSS technologies into robotics systems has become increasingly prevalent, catering to the demands of automation in various industries. Exwayz identifies a critical challenge in this integration – the lack of seamless cooperation between LiDAR and GNSS, hindering the creation of dense and accurate 3D point clouds.
While GNSS faces limitations in accuracy, especially in obstructed skies or enclosed spaces, LiDAR cannot measure its position and motion. Adding an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) has traditionally been necessary but comes with high costs and complexities.
The Exwayz 3D Mapping (Exwayz 3DM) software shines in this gap. By harnessing raw data from both LiDAR and GNSS sources in post-processing, Exwayz 3DM employs cutting-edge algorithms to automatically generate precise 1-centimeter point clouds, both locally and globally, eliminating the need for additional hardware.
This agnostic solution seamlessly integrates GNSS and LiDAR from any brand, overcoming the limitations previously faced in creating accurate 3D point clouds.
Applications across industries
Exwayz's 3D mapping software is highly versatile and can be applied across various industries and use cases. The technology is a reliable solution in ever-changing environments, from optimizing last-mile delivery systems to enhancing the efficiency of autonomous shuttles and positioning accuracy for trains.
The company believes that its solution could revolutionize transportation systems globally.
"Our technology serves as a catalyst, empowering robotics systems across various industries, ensuring precise positioning and unlocking new realms of efficiency and automation," said Hassan Bouchiba, CEO of Exwayz, emphasizing the company's commitment to providing state-of-the-art 3D mapping and navigation solutions.
Exwayz's unique approach
Exwayz 3DM addresses major challenges in large-scale mapping, such as achieving globally consistent point clouds during multiple mapping runs. The software's unique approach utilizes LiDAR data directly to generate crystal-clear point clouds and integrates external GNSS information for global accuracy.
"The software inherently produces flawlessly detailed point clouds devoid of local discrepancies," added Mathias Corsia, CTO of Exawayz, highlighting the company's innovative optimization framework, which ensures local consistency.
One standout feature of Exwayz 3DM is the multi-session SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) functionality, allowing the seamless fusion of multiple maps derived from diverse data collection sessions across months or years.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article