Platform-Agnostic Ecosystem Accelerates Robotics & Drone Integration

The newly launched InDro Cortex and InDro Controller from InDro Robotics provide a comprehensive hardware and software ecosystem designed to accelerate the integration and remote operation of robotic platforms.

The hardware component, InDro Cortex, functions as a platform-agnostic compute and sensor integrator that can be mounted on virtually any robotic framework. Measuring 11cm x 14cm x 10cm and weighing 679 grams, the unit features a base processor capable of 100 trillion operations per second, which can be upgraded for higher-demand scenarios. Cortex operates on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS paired with ROS2 Humble, providing preloaded software tools, libraries, drivers, and communication protocols to facilitate near-instant sensor integration. The unit also supplies power directly to connected sensors while drawing its own power from the host platform itself.

To ensure low-latency remote operation, Cortex is equipped with a 5G modem and long-range antennae, allowing tele-operated control with nearly imperceptible lag over public or private 5G networks, as well as over WiFi connections. This technology follows several years of intense research, establishing the integrator as one of the core products for the company.

Complementing the hardware is the InDro Controller software, an onboard application accessed securely via a desktop interface by entering the URL associated with the robot and completing an encrypted login. The software includes an intuitive dashboard that enables operators to control platforms manually, autonomously using pre-programmed waypoints, or within GPS-denied environments via LiDAR SLAM or vSLAM. The customizable interface allows users to easily resize and move data display windows from multiple running sensors, program site-specific tasks such as zooming in with a PTZ camera on a point of interest, and save endless missions to execute automatically at desired intervals. Additionally, the InDro Autonomy software stack is available as an optional addition.

“Cortex is the result of a tremendous amount of R&D from our Area X.O engineering team,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “It not only greatly simplifies building complex robots, but can vastly enhance robotic platforms ranging from engineering research robots through to military defence platforms. It, along with Controller, will be core InDro products for many years to come.”