Smart sensing technology firm CEVA has launched MotionEngine Scout, an accurate dead reckoning software solution for intelligent navigation systems in indoor robots including robot cleaners and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) used in industrial or commercial settings.

MotionEngine Scout enables indoor autonomous robots to achieve precise positioning without the need for expensive cameras or LiDAR for navigation. 

The embedded software solution fuses measurements taken from a robot’s optical flow sensor, wheel encoders and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and uses this data to deliver better dead reckoning accuracy and robustness against individual sensor errors. MotionEngine Scout can reduce trajectory errors by a factor of 5x in challenging scenarios, including surface flooring such as vinyl, tile, and various styles of carpet.

MotionEngine Scout supports a range of commercial IMU sensors from suppliers including STMicroelectronics, Bosch-Sensortec, and TDK InvenSense to provide OEM’s with supply chain flexibility, reducing supply shortage risks and providing options for cost and performance tradeoffs. For the optical flow sensor, CEVA has partnered with PixArt to incorporate its PAA5101 dual-light optical tracking sensor into the solution, reducing development complexity and time-to-market.

Chad Lucien, Vice President and General Manager of the Sensor Fusion Business Unit at CEVA, commented: “We developed MotionEngine Scout to lower the cost and technology barriers faced by OEMs developing indoor autonomous robots. Our vast experience in robot navigation, sensor fusion, calibration, and sensor analytics have enabled us to deliver a high-precision dead reckoning software solution that can enhance or provide an alternative to camera or LiDAR based systems. MotionEngine Scout paves the way for a new class of indoor robots that can intelligently navigate their environment while enabling OEM’s to achieve the challenging price points necessary to meet end user demand.”

Charles Chong, Director of Strategic Marketing at PixArt Imaging USA commented: “CEVA’s unique sensor fusion knowhow for indoor robot navigation perfectly complements our optical tracking sensor expertise and we are pleased to partner with CEVA to address this lucrative and growing market. Our PAA5101 sensor and the MotionEngine Scout software combines to deliver a robust, high-performance solution, without the need for customised sensors or lenses, lowering the overall BOM and simplifying the design effort.”