MALTA II - autonomous fork lift trucks

Malta II has been running since spring 2011, and is a direct continuation of the project Malta which took place between 2008 and 2010. The project seeks solutions for safe navigation of autonomous, driverless forklifts that can move finished products and / or raw materials from one stage of production to another.

MALTA II, which is a direct continuation of the project MALTA, is running from 2011-2013. The first part of the project MALTA, Multiple Autonomous Forklift Trucks for Loading and Transportation Applications, lasted from 2008-2010. The project was a collaboration between Örebro University and Halmstad University, Danaher Motion (building systems for AGVs – automated guided vehicles), Linde Material Handling (building trucks) and Stora Enso Logistics (end-user).

Through the project an industrial test bed was developed, in which the university can test their research in a relevant industrial environment. The goal of the first sub-project was to get Danaher’s AGV system mounted in a truck, and to develop the system so that the truck, using a laser scanner, would be able to find the goods that it would carry. A camera that detects reflective vests was also developed to ensure the safety of people moving around the trucks. Another part of the research focused on generating alternative driveways if the truck encountered obstacles. In December 2010, a successful final demonstration of MALTA was arranged, where all the objectives for the project were delivered; trucks that could move paper rolls and to detect obstacles in the environment

The focus of MALTA II, now in progress, is security and continued development of new navigation solutions such as determining the position of the truck with other types of sensors and cameras, and to test the system for extended periods. One difference between the different phases of the project is that MALTA II deals with the management of many vehicles - so called "fleet management", while MALTA was focused on a single truck. The project is mainly focused on research, conducted at Örebro University, and consists of two parts; SAUNA and SAVIE. SAUNA (Secure Autonomous Navigation) is aimed at achieving international excellence in autonomic technology, while SAVIE (Safe Autonomous Vehicles for Industrial Environments) concerns the more practical implementation of cutting-edge technology, ie spin-off of research for testing and results. The central goal of SAVIE is to achieve flexibility and safe navigation of vehicles in dynamic industrial environments. Safe navigation means the ability to move toward a fixed target quickly and efficiently, without the risk of a collision with other objects or vehicles. SAVIE provides feedback to the research conducted in the SAUNA, and thus the projects enrich each other.

Robotdalen is contributing financially to the project in which Örebro University, Atlas Copco, Kollmorgen Särö Ltd (which is the new name of Danaher Motion), Linde Material Handling and Fotonic AB are included.