Hexagon Utilizes NVIDIA AI to Launch AEON Humanoid for Industrial Applications

Hexagon, a leader in measurement technologies, has unveiled its new humanoid robot, AEON, developed in collaboration with NVIDIA. This initiative aims to address the global labor shortage affecting industries such as manufacturing and logistics, where 50 million positions remain unfilled, according to the NVIDIA blog.

AEON’s Role in Industrial Sectors

AEON is engineered to assist in various industrial applications, including manipulation, asset inspection, reality capture, and operator support. The robot is set to be deployed across multiple sectors such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and logistics. Its capabilities include reality capture for generating 3D models, manipulation of industrial components, part inspection for quality assurance, and performing intricate industrial operations.

Deepu Talla, Vice President of Robotics and Edge AI at NVIDIA, highlighted the significance of AEON’s development, stating that advancements in simulation and AI have ushered in the age of general-purpose robotics.

Technological Backbone: NVIDIA’s Three Computers

Hexagon’s AEON development leverages NVIDIA’s three-computer platform, which includes AI supercomputers for training models, the NVIDIA Omniverse for simulation using real and synthetic data, and NVIDIA IGX Thor robotic computers for model execution. This setup allows AEON to learn essential skills quickly, reducing the development cycle significantly before real-world deployment.

The robot’s capabilities are further enhanced by NVIDIA’s Jetson Orin onboard computers, which facilitate autonomous movement and task performance in dynamic environments. Future upgrades with NVIDIA IGX Thor are anticipated to improve the robot’s collaborative operation safety.

Integration with Digital Twin Technology

AEON’s deployment will be piloted in environments ranging from factories to warehouses, where it will scan and capture data. The captured data is integrated into Hexagon’s Reality Cloud Studio (RCS) platform, allowing for advanced visualization and collaboration through the Hexagon Digital Reality platform and NVIDIA Omniverse.

Lucas Heinzle, Vice President of Research and Development at Hexagon, emphasized the integration of reality data capture with NVIDIA Omniverse as a step towards mainstreaming digital twins for collaboration and innovation.

Future Prospects for AEON

Hexagon’s adoption of the OpenUSD framework and development on Omniverse enables the creation of high-fidelity digital twins from scanned data. This approach supports a continuous data flywheel for training AEON, paving the way for scalable solutions in physical AI.

The collaboration between Hexagon and NVIDIA marks a significant advancement in AI and robotics, offering efficient solutions to industry challenges related to real-world data capture and application.

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