trends in automation

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Sophisticated drive concept: the four
horizontal propellers, together with the
helium sphere, ensure the necessary uplift.
Autonomous object detection:
thanks to the camera in the gripper, the
FreeMotionHandling can identify objects
and pick them up safely. (Picture below)
adaptive propellers. In its centre is a
rotatable helium sphere with an integrat­
ed gripping element. Thanks to the intelli-
gent onboard electronics and the indoor
GPS, the FreeMotionHandling can move
autonomously in all directions. It picks
up objects independently and puts them
down at designated places. People can
interact safely and trouble-free with the
flying assistance system. Unlike other in-
door and outdoor flying objects, contact
is not dangerous even in the event of a
collision. This opens up new prospects
for the workplace of the future.
The FreeMotionHandling freely positions
its gripping component in all spatial direc-
tions by rotating the sphere by up to 180
degrees. This enables it to grip an object
from various angles. The flying assistance
system has a much greater degree of
freedom than conventional multi-axis
kinematic systems. In order for the
FreeMotionHandling to pick up differently
shaped objects, the developers also
equipped the gripping element with an
ultra-thin film, which is filled with helium.
The gripper draws objects in using a rope
winch inside the sphere. The pressure in
the sleeve makes it extend back out on its
own, while the holding process does not
require any energy. The flying assistance
system can also pick up several objects
according to the last-in-first-out principle,
transport them in its body and set them
down again at several different positions
one after the other.
Soloist and team player
Flying in three dimensions is a unique
technological challenge. The onboard
wireless sensor technology communi-
cates constantly with the guidance and
monitoring system installed in the space
to ensure that the flying process is stable
and reliable. An important part of the in-
door GPS is a camera system that could
also be used in the factory of the future.
Several infrared cameras installed in the
space record the FreeMotionHandling
using eight infrared LEDs, which are
attached to the carbon ring as active
markers. The cameras transmit the pos-
ition data to a central master computer,
which acts like an air traffic controller
and coordinates the sphere from the
Further information
and videos
can be found at
outside. Once the sphere gets closer
to the object to be gripped, it controls
its flight path on its own by using two
integrated cameras.
The concept of FreeMotionHandling
could be used wherever people require
additional support from machinery –
for instance, when doing ergonomically
repetitive assembly tasks, during sorting
or warehousing. Difficult tasks can there-
fore be made much easier.
2.2016 trends in automation
Compass 10 – 11