At Polymath Robotics, we make it radically simple to automate off-highway vehicles. Over the next 20 weeks, we’re releasing 40 autonomy modules that make it easier than ever to build your autonomous navigation stack. Each module can be used on its own, or together as a full autonomy solution. This week we’re launching two new modules: GPS Fusion and Center Pivot Configuration.

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It’s too hard to build autonomous vehicles

That’s why we built Polymath Robotics – the autonomous navigation toolkit for off-highway vehicles.

Our mission is clear: to make automating off-highway vehicles radically simple. On average, Polymath slashes over a year off autonomy projects, the equivalent of 5-10 engineers on robotics teams. Polymath helps you build off-highway robots without drowning in complexity.

To make automating off-highway vehicles easier than ever, we’re revealing 40 Autonomous Navigation Modules over the next 20 weeks. 

Last week we released the first two modules: Lidar Fusion and GPS-Denied Trailer Localization.

Today we’re excited to launch our next 2 modules: GPS Fusion and Center Pivot Configuration. 

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Module #3: GPS Fusion 

The problem: Many GPS units don’t know their own error variations. When your vehicle isn't sure of its true location, it can spell trouble for your autonomous navigation planner.

Introducing our GPS Fusion module – fine-tuning your GPS data accuracy for precise localization and planning.

How it works: the GPS Fusion module uses a special trick called covariance injection. Put simply, it estimates the cloud size of the GPS error and feeds that information to our fusion engine, reducing overdependence on GPS data and boosting the system's overall reliability.

What makes GPS Fusion a core part of the autonomous navigation stack?

• Versatility: Our solution seamlessly adapts to a wide range of GPS systems, from basic units to the gold standard of dual antenna RTK-corrected GPS.
• Dependability: incorporating GPS error estimation improves system reliability while reducing the risk of relying too heavily on GPS data.

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Module #4: Center Pivot Configuration 

Why we built this: Center-pivot steering is common in large off-highway vehicles, since it offers more precise maneuverability for big equipment. Several Polymath customers are working exclusively on center-pivot vehicles. 

The problem: Center-pivot steering creates problems for traditional autonomous navigation, with a tight turn radius and the inability to steer in place (like Ackermann vehicles). These kinematics lead to understeering and poor path planning, resulting in inefficient paths or even collisions. 

That’s why we built the Center Pivot Configuration module – the easier way to tailor your path planner for center-pivot kinematics.

How it works: we’ve solved the hard controls problems by extending and updating kinematic templates, which are then fed to the rest of our autonomous navigation planner.

What makes our Center Pivot Configuration module so powerful?

• Skip the kinematic headache: Polymath’s Center Pivot Configuration works (almost) out of the box, allowing you to automate your center-pivot vehicle without spending months finessing its motion profile.
• Robust and flexible: the module can be easily applied to center-pivot vehicles of any dimensions.
• Easy to incorporate: like all our modules, you can use Center Pivot Configuration on its own, or as part of our full autonomous navigation system.

The video below shows an example from a real-life customer vehicle with center-pivot motion.

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What’s Next

Next week, we’ll reveal two more of our 40 Autonomous Navigation Modules. As always, each module easily fits into your existing projects or combines with other Polymath modules to create a complete autonomous navigation system.

We’re excited to hear how you plan to use these modules to speed up your off-highway autonomy projects. Contact Sales today.

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