Parking Garage Automation System Merritt Systems, Inc., Orlando, Florida

1
Parking Garage Automation SystemMerritt Systems,
Inc., Orlando, Florida
Innovation The Parking Garage Automation System
(PGAS) is based on a technology developed by a
NASA-sponsored project called Robot sensorSkin .
Merritt Systems, Inc. (MSI), of Orlando, Florida
teamed up with NASA at Kennedy Space Center to
improve robots working with critical flight
hardware. Advancements in sensor design led to
the smartSensor network, a key part of the PGAS.

• Accomplishments
• Robot Sensor Skin was developed under NASA Small
  Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts.
• MSI teamed up with Kennedy Space Center to
  develop the Robot sensorSkin. This helped to
  improve the robots working with critical Space
  Shuttle flight hardware.
• The Robot Sensor Skin , containing MSI
  SmartSensor modules and flexible printed circuit
  board skin, helps robots to steer clear of
  obstacles using a proximity sensing system.
• The MSI SmartSensors use non-invasive,
  reflective-ultrasonic technology for high
  accuracy, high reliability, and low maintenance.
• The MSI SmartSensors are remotely programmable.
  It can be tuned to site-specific requirements,
  has variable range capability, and allows remote
  configuration, monitoring, and diagnostics.
• The MSI SmartSensors are immune to interference
  from metallic construction materials, such as
  rebar and steel beams, which degrade inductive
  loop accuracy.

SmartSensor

• Commercialization (cont)
• Walt Disney World is using MSI Ultrasonic
  SmartSensors to monitor motion.
• Profactor Production Research is using MSI
  Ultrasonic SmartSensors to prevent collisions
  with its Mitsubishi PA-10 robot.
• Nomadic Technologies is using MSI Ultrasonic
  SmartSensors to prevent collisions with its
  robot.

• Government/Science Applications
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  (NASA) awarded MSI two Phase I and two Phase II
  Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
  contracts to research this new technology.
• NASAs payload inspection and processing robot
  (PIPR), a long-reach serpentine inspection robot,
  is one SensorSkin application. The PIPR, used
  for preflight inspection and verification of
  Shuttle payloads, was fitted with the skin,
  containing non-contact proximity, ultrasonic, and
  infrared MSI SmartSensors.
• The U.S. Navy NCCOSC RDTE awarded MSI one Phase I
  and one Phase II to develop a combined
  Ultrasonic, Infrared, Temperature, and Tactile
  sensorSkin for robotic applications.

• Commercialization
• The current primary markets for the PGAS are
  parking garages in cities and major airports.
  The PGAS installed around and within parking
  garages will autonomously guide motorists to open
  facilities, and once within, to open parking
  spaces in real time.
• A similar application is under development for
  the Australian railroad authorities to prevent
  train collisions with bridges and tunnels.
• Another potential market is a wearable collisions
  avoidance system for the blind.

• Points of Contact
• NASA (Thomas Lippitt 407 867-3266)
• Merritt Systems (Ron Remus 407 380-6944)
• Company URL www.merrittsystems.com
• 1992 SBIR Phase II NAS10-11910

NASA Field Center Kennedy Space Center Date of
Update 9/98 Success Story 10-004