Aceinna announced the general availability of the OpenIMU335RI, a rugged inertial measurement unit (IMU) with CAN and RS232 interfaces. The OpenIMU335RI is the third product in Aceinna’s Gen 3 architecture and adds a rugged sealed standalone product to the earlier introduced IMU383ZA and OpenIMU330BI.

It delivers increased performance in key acceleration and gyro specifications. The OpenIMU335RI delivers best in class performance, including 1.3 degrees per hour bias instability (BI) and 0.1 degrees per root hour Angle Random Walk, making it ideal for 3DMG (3 Dimensional Machine Guidance), 3DMC (3 Dimensional Machine Control), and other applications requiring high-performance inertial measurements.

Aceinna’S OpenIMU335RI and all Aceinna’s Gen 3 products, are triple redundant – consisting of three independent 3-Axis Accelerometers and 3-Axis Gyros. The redundancy in Aceinna’s Gen 3 products provides increased performance in key acceleration and rate sensor characteristics and increased reliability and equipment uptime in the field. Aceinna has implemented a proprietary algorithm that detects a failing sensor and automatically and seamlessly eliminates it from the solution, allowing equipment to continue normal operation using the remaining sensors.

OpenIMU335RI is packaged in a rugged sealed housing with an Ampseal 16, 6 position connector. It includes CAN J1939 and RS232 interfaces for network connectivity. The miniature housing is formed using an over-molding process delivering a completely sealed solution that prevents any possible water ingress and is durable under tough environmental conditions. It is specified to work from an unregulated 9 V – 32 V supply and is fully qualified for use in 12 V and 24 V vehicle systems. A 3D magnetic field sensor is available as an option for applications requiring 9-DOF IMUs.

“This new IMU adds to Aceinna’s successful line of 6 and 9-DOF IMUs and provides even higher performance for designs that need it. It is the same size and has the same electrical interface as our popular OpenIMU300RI and MTLT305D sensors, giving the existing customer an upgrade path to higher performance without redesign,”

says Michael DiGangi, Executive VP of Aceinna.

The OpenIMU335RI uses a powerful ARM M4 CPU with a Floating Point Unit.  The OpenIMU335RI module runs the OpenIMU open-source stack that includes an optimized full-state Kalman Filter for Attitude and GPS-Aided Position-Velocity-Time (PVT) measurement. For developers, the open-source environment allows for algorithm optimization for a specific vehicle or application dynamics and custom messaging. A free development tool-chain based on Microsoft VS Code supports PC, MAC, and Ubuntu. Data logging and visualization are supported with Aceinna Navigation Studio, a free web-based graphical user interface.

The new OpenIMU335RI is available for purchase from Aceinna directly as well as from our network of worldwide distribution partners.

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The topic is being explored during the virtual 2020 Sustainable Ag Summit, November 18-19, 2020. Farmobile joins TFI and Luckey Farmers Cooperative to discuss the value of real-time data to benefit farmers, ag retailers, and the environment during the concurrent technical session.

With the supply chain’s growing interest in more sustainable food, fiber, and fuel supply, best practice initiatives like TFI’s 4R Nutrient Management (4R) program are focused on increasing production and farmer profitability, enhancing environmental protection, and improving overall sustainability. In order to unlock the next generation of agricultural production and enable growers to take advantage of emerging markets, retailers must be able to write fertilizer recommendations faster and provide a system of record to scale variable rate technology (VRT) practices so that the right amount of the right fertilizer hits the right spot in the field, every time.

Peyton Harper, senior manager of stewardship and sustainability for The Fertilizer Institute, said:

“At TFI, we’re always looking ahead to future opportunities and challenges in the fertilizer industry. Nutrient management is both. Real-time data-collection provides visibility and generates ground-truthed yield maps, which can improve VRT accuracy which is very beneficial in a robust 4R system.”

Farmobile’s data collection enables growers and ag retailers to capture all of the layered data involved in the growing of a crop, serving as a robust system of record from a crop’s planting through its applications and all the way through harvest. Farmobile automatically converts second-by-second raw agronomic and machine data, collected across a mixed fleet of farm and application equipment,  into a uniform data set. Available for 24/7 exports or API streaming, the data (permission by users) creates a system of record that captures how a field was farmed and fertilizer applied.

Andrew Gladden, IT manager of Luckey Farmers, Inc., said:

“Using Farmobile to enhance the speed and quality of data collection allowed us to expand Variable Rate Application acres which, in turn, is helping us to surpass our 4R goals. Our state (Ohio) had a goal of a minimum of 35 percent of acreage being 4R certified. With Farmobile and their ability to track variable rate application, we not only hit 35 percent — we’re aiming for 70 percent going forward, and looking forward to the improved profitability that comes with it.”

As is the case with Luckey Farmers, Inc., nutrient management mandates are both an opportunity and a challenge for farmers, and a strong, comprehensive data backbone is needed to meet these goals effectively while increasing profitability.

Bradford Warner, vice president of business development and sustainability, Farmobile, said:

“Farmobile was formed to help growers get the most value from the data they’re generating in their operations, and nutrient management is no exception. Whether growers are trying to get ahead of potential future regulations or looking to provide proof of stewardship to grow their profitability and care for their land, Farmobile’s technology collects the right data across machine makes and models at the right time, and processes it into insights to be delivered with the right farm management systems, such as Agworld, with this scenario.”

Source: Farmobile

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Aceinna announced a partnership with Point One Navigation, a leader delivering precise positioning for the next generation of transportation.  The strategic partnership enables a streamlined positioning platform that combines Point One’s Polaris GNSS cloud correction service with Aceinna’s OpenRTK330 hardware and software solution for developers in agriculture, construction, mapping, surveying, robotics, and trucking.

The GNSS correction service market shows great promise yet is presently hampered by some lingering problems.  These include the nuisance of managing separate commercial/support relationships for hardware and subscriptions, difficulty integrating solutions between such providers, lack of consistency in resulting accuracy compared with what is advertised, resistance to supporting all application sizes from single unit to high volume, the absence of a coast-to-coast network from a single provider, and stubbornly high pricing for the service in general.

Aceinna and Point One are solving these problems by delivering the most reliable, turn-key, and affordable GNSS correction solution on the market.  Customers will be able to purchase the fully integrated hardware and streaming service directly from Aceinna and its distribution partners versus seeking out a provider on their own.  Activation and authentication will be streamlined thanks to extensive backend server synchronization between Aceinna and Point One.  True centimeter-level accuracy will be attainable and powered by the integration of Point One’s coast-to-coast Polaris network and Aceinna’s OpenRTK platform.  Finally, aggressive pricing will be offered to support all deployment levels, from a single unit and up to a large scale.  The combined offering will be available for purchase beginning in December 2020.

“This partnership between Aceinna and Point One harnesses and combines each of our distinct strengths, to offer a solution platform that makes high-performance positioning accessible to a variety of industries and applications. We are thrilled to work with Point One’s technical expertise and execution to advance this technology to the next level of precision,”

said Dr. Yang Zhao, Chairman, and CEO of Aceinna.

“Point One’s Polaris is a highly adaptable network that provides critical data for a myriad of precise positioning and autonomous applications. We are excited to be working with an industry leader such as Aceinna and the use of OpenRTK330 satisfies a market need for precise yet affordable corrections-based guidance and navigation systems.”

said Aaron Nathan, CEO, and Co-Founder at Point One.

OpenRTK330 is a state-of-the-art, high-performance GNSS receiver with a built-in RTK engine and triple-redundant inertial sensors.  It is designed for use in Level 3 ADAS and other high-volume applications requiring precise position information.  It includes a multi-band RTK/GNSS receiver coupled with redundant inertial sensor arrays to provide cm-level accuracy, enhanced reliability, and superior performance during GNSS outages.  The dead reckoning solution delivers a strong performance in GNSS challenged urban environments.  OpenRTK300 is supported by Aceinna’s open-source toolchain which enables direct customization of the on-board algorithms, I/O, and communication stack on the device

Point One’s Polaris network is a proprietary GNSS correction network built from the ground up for the needs of modern automotive and robotics customers.  Polaris uses the latest in base station technology including advanced anti-jam, interference mitigation, security, and integrity monitoring.  Its powerful cloud-based correction architecture allows for GNSS corrections in RTK or SSR configuration.  Its open-source interfaces demonstrate compatibility with receivers and chipsets from leading providers.  The service is also compatible with any NTRIP/RTCM3 compliant receiver.

The post Aceinna and Point One Navigation enable Precise Positioning for Agriculture, Construction, Mapping, Surveying, Robotics and Trucking appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Engcon‘s strategy is to continually improve the excavators’ everyday lives with more efficient, flexible, and safer solutions. This means, among other things, providing access to smart solutions for everyone, by offering them as standard. The automatic quick coupler system, EC-Oil, has previously been added as an option at no extra charge. Further increasing safety, Engcon will offer the safe locking system QSC under the tiltrotator as standard.

The current system for controlling the bucket lock under the tiltrotator will be replaced with Engcon’s standardized locking panel, directing the driver’s actions by means of an alert system to ensure correct positioning. In this way, Engcon simplifies the handling of the bucket lock – the hitch control function is standardized, regardless of the make and model of the excavator. This minimizes the risks of dropped or swinging tools.

”We usually compare it to the fact that the gas and brake pedals would have different placements in a car depending on which car brand it is. In short, if a driver who changes from one excavator to another and can operate it in the same way, the risk of making mistakes with serious consequences is greatly minimized”,

says Martin Engström, Product Manager at Engcon.

Unique safety function that saves lives

In addition to the standardization of the locking procedure, it is also impossible to activate the bucket lock under the tiltrotator while the bucket is hanging in midair – a safety function that is unique to Engcon’s locking solution.

”This reduces the greatest risk that a bucket or a tool is accidentally dropped when up in the air. Which can prevent both injuries and deaths,”

says Martin Engström.

The locking system, QSC, together with Engcon’s quick coupler Q-Safe, also has an audiovisual warning system. The system warns with sound and light alarms if the bucket is connected incorrectly. As an accessory, you can also order a safety function that locks the excavator’s turning movements, which further increases safety.

“To sum up, we continue to standardize for maximum safety and to prevent unnecessary accidents due to mistakes, stress, or improper handling. And not only that, it costs nothing extra”,

Martin Engström concludes.

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