“Rotomotion, LLC, is introducing itself as a new kind of company in the inertial sensor systems industry. The company, launched early this year, offers real world and hobbyist applications for autonomous flying helicopters, planes and robotics (ground-based and aerial) at the lowest prices available. With the robotics industry poised for a projected 2500% growth in dollars over the next five years, Rotomotion is ready for the ride.
Rotomotion’s customized line of kits and fully-assembled inertial measurement units (IMU), attitude and heading reference systems (AHRS), flight controllers for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and runway-launched (ROG) aircraft are offered at lower prices, with higher added value, than any of the competition. Looking ahead, Rotomotion is developing an artificial horizon to be debuted in three months at an amazing price that is sure to gain attention. “We provide hardware, software, knowledge and support at less than half of the competitor’s price,” says Dennis D’Annunzio, Director of Sales for Rotomotion, “and we’re ready to nip at the heels of larger suppliers with seriously inflated mark-ups.”
Rotomotion, whose roots were formed in the open source community, has a firm belief in the concept and remains active in the research and development of many types of inertial products. Open source is a term used to describe a programmer’s ability to read, redistribute and modify the source code for a piece of software, thus evolving the software. The open source community is free to improve the software, adapt it to their needs, fix bugs, etc., at a speed much faster than conventional software developers. Many of Rotomotion’s customers are participants in the open source project; therefore, the company applies a significant portion of their product sales profits back into the project. Rotomotion embraces the open source community in hopes that community collaboration will result in accelerated growth of their projects. The end result is a system that is complete and useful to all customers.
Following in the company’s belief in open communication and furthering education, Rotomotion hopes to grow a collegiate UAV project loaner and development program. As the company’s first collegiate partner, Southern Polytechnic State University’s (SPSU) Aerial Robotics Team chose Rotomotion as the provider of the flight controller for their robotic helicopter to be entered in the 2003 International Aerial Robotics Competition (IARC) event. SPSU chose Rotomotion because of its open nature and the ability to investigate and optimize every part of the system, both hardware and software. The students will have a real opportunity to fine tune and customize their entry using Rotomotion as a supplier. The competition will take place in July 2003 in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Future Trends
Current industry trends indicate a sizable increase in the demand for robotics. Robotics technology is a natural growth out of the computer industry, which builds on the semiconductor industry which, in turn, builds on a web of scientific advances that grows at an exponentially explosive rate. There will be many innovative and mind-bending implementations of robotic technology. The “inner-ear” sensor packages in which Rotomotion specializes will be a primary system in many of the more autonomous and capable robotic systems.
Founders of Rotomotion
Rotomotion was formed in October, 2001, by Trammell Hudson, a computer scientist. Trammell was the founding member of the autopilot.sf.net open source project designed to develop an intertial measurement unit and attitude and heading reference system. In addition to his work with Rotomotion, Trammell, a licensed pilot, has spent the past several years working with high performance computers. In 2002, Trammell met Dennis B. D’Annunzio through their mutual interest in the autopilot.sf.net open source project. Dennis, an electrical and computer engineer is also an operator of small, remotely piloted helicopters. Trammell and Dennis joined forces, relocated Rotomotion to Charleston, SC and began development of Rotomotion’s line of IMU’s and related software systems. Together, Trammell and Dennis are working to develop additional sensor systems, including systems for use by the general public.
Services
Rotomotion is serving the industry by customizing of 2D and 3D IMU and AHRS systems; modifying radio receivers, integrating custom sensors, setting up and customizing UAV/RPV helicopters (VTOL) and airplanes (ROG, flight testing, maintenance and check-ups, UAV/RPV pilot training, and participating in collegiate UAV project loaners and development programs. Rotomotion’s cost-effective and cutting-edge products offer a unique solution to the inertial systems industry, simply and reliably.
Support
Kits are supplied with accompanying kit-building instructions and kit component datasheets. Downloads of Rotomotion software are available for distribution at autopilot.sf.net, along with hardware and software support contact info for default support services, incident based support, and multi-packs, etc.
Please visit Rotomotion at www.rotomotion.com or call 843-284-2378 for more information.”
Link: rotomotion.com
Category:
- Open Source
