Robox employs an “inertial” guidance system to control the AGVs movements.

Required on board hardware:

• a Motion Controller
• a gyroscope (RGM) measuring its angular orientation on a plane
• a magnet detection device RHAM
• an odometric system able to measure its movements.
• an hand-heldled TPU RIG8 for manual movements and diagnostic.

Through these signals the vehicle can run programmed paths and adjust its position with a precision higher than 1 cm.

Required on board software:

• AGV handler: it controls the AGV navigation and auxiliary operations
  It can handle different geometries: from the simple fork lift to the tank and to the 4 steering drive wheels geometry. It is installed in the motion controller compact flash.

Software required on the PC:

• AGV MANAGER: it handles the AGV missions and diagnosis.
  It communicates with the AGVS through radio modem or WIFI
• RAT: Graphic tool describing the paths to be run by the AGV.
  It outputs a file used both by the AGV handler and by the AGV manager

The advantages of the inertial guidance, compared with the laser guidance, are the following:

• it perfectly fits “turtle” vehicles, that is vehicles carrying the loads on their top
• it permits a smooth navigation in long and narrow aisles
• it very well fits outdoor or mixed operations
• it very well fits paths with vertical obstacles.

The inertial guidance permits a highly precise positioning through the signals output by the magnets. The laser guidance is particularly recommended in environments with a regular plant, free from vertical obstacles, particularly if very complex pathes must be run. Any plant type can be approached with the inertial guidance, the same is not true for the laser guidance.