OMRON Spotlights Advances In AI, Automation, Sensing & Control

OMRON is showcasing its latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, automation and sensing and control at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The company’s booth focuses on the harmony that can be achieved between humans and machines with interactive demonstrations showing how technological innovation can effectively meet business and societal challenges. Exhibits include a mobility demo for automotive driver safety, a sustainable platform for efficient energy consumption, and the debut of FORPHEUS, the world's first AI-equipped table tennis tutor. Visitors to OMRON's booth, #25541, at the Las Vegas Convention Center take an engaging interactive tour of five areas: rediscovering artificial intelligence, reinventing automation, rethinking mobility, redefining wellness and reshaping environments.

 

Artificial Intelligence & FORPHEUS

 

State-of-the-art AI is a key component of OMRON's core technology "Sensing & Control + Think" and part of multiple OMRON technologies on display at CES, including FORPHEUS. The AI-equipped robot demonstrates how OMRON technologies come together to create machines which work in harmony with humans, helping to enhance and extend human capabilities. OMRON technologies that make up FORPHEUS including sensing, control, artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics.

 

Rather than competing with a human opponent in table tennis, FORPHEUS judges the skill level of his partner and adjust his play to help promote longer rallies, coaching and encouraging the human player throughout their match.

 

FORPHEUS has a three-camera system to identify the ball and evaluate players, a high-speed robotic arm that moves in response to its AI controller, trajectory prediction, a motion controller "brain" which tells it how to hit the ball and machine learning to evaluate his opponents' capabilities.

While FORPHEUS has made other appearances worldwide, CES marks his U.S. debut. New features of FORPHEUS this year include the ability to toss and serve, the ability to predict a smash based on the movements the other player and the ability to produce sounds appropriate to the state of the match.

 

Mobility

 

OMRON also is putting artificial intelligence to work to promote automotive safety. As automated vehicle technology accelerates toward commercial availability, and traditional vehicles are more connected than ever before, OMRON introduces a combination of AI, machine learning and facial recognition technology that helps keep drivers safe.

 

OMRON's driver seat demo provides a hands-on experience with mobility systems that monitor a driver's suitability to drive. The mobility demonstration features the world's first technology for detection of early-stage drowsiness through the measurement of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) without the need for a special device.

 

The groundbreaking OMRON VOR technology can detect early-stage signs of drowsiness by sensing eye movements using a remotely installed automotive camera. While other current technology typically observes blinking to detect drowsy driving, OMRON's new technology observes the correlation between head and eye movements – a reflex motion that is difficult for drivers to control.

 

This technology enables simultaneous measurement of the driver's gaze angle and 3-D eye position using a single camera for highly precise gaze detection with accuracy of plus or minus 1 degree. By understanding the movement of the driver’s pupil, OMRON's VOR system can detect signs of drowsiness one to two minutes before the driver is even aware he or she feels sleepy, and promote safe driving.

 

These new technologies are based on OKAO Vision, the company's facial recognition technology.

 

Factory Automation

 

OMRON will feature smart factory automation technology, which helps manufacturers maximize productivity from both equipment and employees. The display at CES demonstrates innovative-Automation with vision-guided robotics, sensing, safety and controls with AI in harmony with humans in a modernized production cell. Visitors will interact with OMRON's globally safety-rated robots, which help manufacturers meet the growing demand for mass-customization in consumer and industrial goods. OMRON's innovative-Automation approach is: integrated evolution of high-precision, high-speed manufacturing; more intelligent controls and data analysis; and a more interactive & collaborative relationship between robots and people on the manufacturing floor.

 

Energy Management

 

OMRON is creating a sustainable energy platform for the future via technology for efficient energy consumption and the distribution of green energy. OMRON is showcasing solutions for optimization of residential solar energy, including its Smart Inverter with storage battery. OMRON Smart Inverters effectively convert solar output (direct current) into AC power for use in homes. OMRON's Smart Inverter will be the only commercially available transformer-less inverter in the market that prevents photovoltaic (PV) degradation due to PID. The inverter is equipped with battery storage to enable energy use after dark or during peak demand times, when electricity costs are higher.

 

Advanced OMRON sensing technology can also measure and track temperature, humidity, airflow, and collect data to help manage and distribute energy resources efficiently. OMRON advanced sensors enable residential, corporate, and industrial facilities to regulate energy use, reduce their overall energy consumption, and create comfortable and productive environments.

 

Healthcare

 

OMRON Healthcare has made its mission Going for Zero, the elimination of heart attack and stroke. The company makes highly accurate blood pressure monitors that are more mobile, portable and connected than ever before.

For more information, visit OMRON.