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Innervating Smaller, Smarter, Safer...and Bluer Robots and Drones

Updated: Apr 27

To Innervate means to “put the nerves into” something. In humans, nerves are a key part of the nervous system, which also includes the brain and spinal cord. This system has three overlapping functions: sensory input (receiving information, processing and interpreting it), integration (extracting information and sending it out for an appropriate response), and motor output (initiating a response).


Robots have brains and nerves too, which they use to sense, think and act. In the case of drones, this critical “nervous system” consists of the vehicle’s autopilot and the communication networks that essentially control how it senses, thinks and acts. Robots must be innervated in order to perform these 3 key cognitive functions essential to agile and reliable autonomy.


ModalAIs VOXL 2, when integrated with Doodle Labs Smart Radios, provides end-to-end innervation for uncrewed aircraft vehicles (UAVs) or drones, uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and other mobile robotics. A recent collaboration between these two Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Blue UAS Framework companies has accelerated the development of smaller, smarter, and safer… and Bluer drones.

https://www.auvsi.org/innervating-smaller-smarter-safer%E2%80%A6and-bluer-robots-and-drones

Topics: autonomy, autopilots, drones, radios, Smart Helix Radio, VOXL2, ModalAI, Doodle Labs, sensors, Defense Innovation Unit, Blue UAS Framework

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