Whether arranging goods in factories and hypermarkets, delivering medication and meals in hospitals, or transporting equipment in demanding environments, UGVs are increasingly taking on tasks that involve heavy lifting and repetitive labor. Their use not only enhances workplace safety but also significantly improves operational efficiency. Today, the most widespread applications of UGVs are found in factories and warehouses, working alongside infrastructure such as front-access shelving, drive-in racking, cantilever racks, and automated storage systems.
Industry 4.0, a concept that continues to mature within modern manufacturing, is driving new advancements in intelligent management and production. With the integration of UGVs, productivity and workflow efficiency can be elevated to an even higher level.
Autonomous UGV operation relies on multiple core systems: Positioning & Guidance, Motor Control, Network Communication, and Battery Management. Powerful and reliable onboard computing ensures that each of these systems works smoothly to support precise and efficient UGV performance.
- Positioning & Guidance
-
To accurately perceive its surroundings and determine its position, a UGV relies on multiple sensing systems — its “eyes”— including LiDAR, cameras, and various sensors. LiDAR supports real-time 3D mapping by emitting laser pulses to measure distance, providing a 360° horizontal and 30° vertical field of view for continuous environmental scanning. Complementing the LiDAR, front and rear cameras and sensors detect obstacles and track guidance markers such as magnetic pucks, tapes, or embedded wires, ensuring precise navigation and safe movement.
7STARLAKE CPT100X In-vehicle Computer provides 1x RS232/422/485 and 4 x 2.5G LAN PoE with M12 Connectors, enabling multiple device connections for equipment monitoring. Equipped with up to 48GB DDR5 SO-DIMM memory and support for 2 additional hard drives of up to 4TB each, the CPT100X provides ample storage for map data and other critical information.
- Motor Control
-
Upon receiving and analyzing data on the relative positions of vehicles and their surroundings, the computer issues commands to the UGV to perform actions such as moving forward or backward, pausing, sidestepping, and lifting.
- Computer Networks
-
The factory network collects and analyzes data from all workstations, then communicates the operational requirements to the UGV fleet controller. The controller assigns specific tasks to each UGV and transmits corresponding instructions. Each UGV is equipped with an onboard computer that receives these commands wirelessly, enabling coordinated, efficient, and autonomous fleet operation.
- Battery Charging
-
UGVs are equipped with high-capacity onboard batteries. When the fleet controller detects that a vehicle’s battery level has dropped below a designated threshold, it automatically directs the UGV to a charging station. These charging stations can be installed flexibly throughout the facility, such as at buffer zones, turnaround points, or designated stopping areas, ensuring continuous operation with minimal downtime.
With versatile connectivity, high computing stability, and support for wide temperature and voltage ranges, 7STARLAKE’s solutions deliver reliable performance for UGV applications. They are engineered to operate under demanding conditions, ensuring consistent, high-efficiency operation even during continuous, heavy workloads.
