Our CTO (Luke Cole) previously worked for Hemisphere GPS (orginally called BEELINE, and now bought out by AgJunction) as a "Robotics Engineer" implementing auto-guidance solutions for various quadbikes and agriculture tractors that was used by 100's of vehicles around the world.
For 10 years, starting as a teenager in 1998 - Luke Cole has also worked for leading research institutes and companies such as NICTA (now called CSIRO Data61), CSIRO, Seeing Machines and ANU Robotics System Lab (lead by Alex Zelinsky, who received a rare prestigious AO award in 2017 and was Defence Scientist of Australia from 2012 for 6 years). Luke's worked included various autonomous mobile robot projects, involving computer vision, and even a self-driving car early 2000's. Back then OpenCV and ROS didn't exist, so we did a "roll-your-own" called VisLib and DROS comprised of 364,578 lines of code.
Lance Cole has also worked at NICTA and has a background of various hardware development, such as working for a contract company to the US millary (EOS), building the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS).
We have a long-standing robotics experience - our engineers offering Robotics Prototyping for Googong, robot development and robotics custom software services have something like a combined 50 years worth of experience in the robotics field, from teleoperated and semi-autonomous mobile robotic applications, to custom software and/or custom hardware for general automation solutions, signal processing and control systems. Our knowledge base started in NSW and ACT, but now we primarily service East Coast Queensland.
We have developed autonomous mobile robots for air, underwater and ground. Our professional experience started with developing various control and sensor systems for small underwater vehicles in the late 1990's. We where fortunate enough to have been involved in one of the first self-driving car R&D projects back in early 2000's using a 4WD (to support computers for the large processing requirements). For an overseas client we developed a low profile (70mm high) semi-autonomous mobile robot platform for manikin/dummy mounting to simulate people moving (for vehicle crash safety and collision development by German R&D car manufactures). We have been fortunate enough to have been invited to the bulk of the German R&D car manufactures where they develop and test self-driving and driver assist development systems. We have developed various solutions for 2cm accuracy precision steering-guidance solutions for various types of Agriculture tractors (via the CAN bus and ad-hoc methods), which are still used by 1000's of tractors all over the world. We have retro fitted Quadbikes to allow semi-autonomous control via GPS way points. We have custom developed various indoor mobile robotics for indoor localistion and SLAM R&D purposes.
Robot navigation is the task where an autonomous robot moves safely from one location to another. This involves three primary questions:
For robotic localisation and obstacle avoidance we use sensors to solve the problem. To move along the planned path, we use control systems.
We have a deep understanding of signal processing and sensors of various types. We appreciate sensing is a hard problem. There is no one-size-fits all solution. Odemetry (wheel encoders) provide a cost-effective method to measure relative position. however suffer from wheel slip and errors are accumlate over time. GPS only works outdoors, effected by trees/buildings, and without a nearby basestation (for expensive DGPS/RTK) the absolute position error is several meters. IMU (accelerometers + gyros + Magnetometer) suffer from drift errors and noise error causing ``random walk'' when integrated. Magnetometer are effected by magnets, are slow to respond and measure magnetic north (not true north). Infrared are cost-effective, but short range and saturated by sunlight. Ultrasonic range sensors are cost-effective and good for detecting large objects, but can't detect glass/water, only measure a few metres, have a wide beam and provide medium accuracy. RADAR uses radio (instead of sound) to detect objects at long distance, but are relative more expensive then ultrasonic range sensors. Image sensors (video cameras) are a cost-effective, rich in information, and two or more can get depth information, but are computationally expensive, hard to process the data (aka computer vision), affected by dust/fog/rain, and light variations. LIDAR are high accuracy (about 1mm), however are expensive (prices are coming down every year), but can't detect glass/water. Distance measurement sensors are easy to interpret, other sensors are hard. Colour constancy and object classification is very hard (e.g. “Is it a tree or a human?”).
We have a deep understanding of control systems. We typically use Linux-based SBC's and a program a custom PID controller - perhaps even a cascade PID controller, bayesian filters, particle filters, kalman filters, Monte Carlo methods, or train a deep neutral network. The outputs of these systems might control various types of motors (e.g. brushed, brushless, servo, steppers) and/or various types of actuators (e.g. linear, pneumatic, hydraulic), and/or other things like lights or speakers.
We have been involved with computer vision and machine vision since early 2000's - we where involved in the development of two computer vision libraries before OpenCV became popular. Have done much biologically inspired techniques such as optical flow. Was involved in the early days of artificial intelligence using techniques such as Local Binary Patterns (LBP) and Haar-like features (HAAR). These days we typically use machine learning methods such as designing and training deep neural networks (outstanding for vision-based object recognition using ImageNet).
We where involved in the development of a robotic operating system which had 364,578 lines of code, before ROS was written.
We have developed custom software for various manipulators, and have a good understanding of forward and inverse kinematics.
We appreciate that challenges with robotics - particularly with robot navigation, computer/machine vision, and manipulation with the real-world, in real-time using real-robots.
Whilw we can custom develop robot navigation solutions. We can fast-track robot navigation solutions for ground, air and water based platforms via off-the-shelf autopilots. There are many about these days. Some cost-effective open-source options include Pixhawk 4, PX4, and ArduPilot. Some expensive closed-source options include Auterion Skynode, Tersus AutoSteer, Embention Veronte, Outback eDriveX and Trimble EZ Pilot.
We are confident with a broad range of skills and confident our Robotics Prototyping for Googong services can offer solutions such as:
These technologies can be used for various applications such as:
We also offer a R&D robotic platform UGV for hire to help rapid development of robotics systems. If you'd like to know more please visit "Scotty Robot".
Located at the heart of New South Wales, Australia – specifically in Googong, Murray & Riverina – COLETEK is a trusted name that understands the unique needs of local businesses in this picturesque region. Our deep roots in Australian soil enable us to connect with our customers on a personal level, tailoring our approach to cater to their specific requirements and ambitions.
In an ever-evolving landscape where technology and innovation are transforming industries, COLETEK stands strong as a reliable partner for entrepreneurs and leaders seeking guidance. With a national presence that stretches from coast to coast, we've developed a profound understanding of the regional differences that define Googong, Murray & Riverina – its people, culture, and market dynamics.
For decades, COLETEK has been empowering local businesses, fostering community growth, and reinforcing the fabric of our region's economy. We take pride in our expertise, developed through tireless efforts to stay ahead of the curve and provide customized solutions that drive real results. Our commitment to trust, integrity, and transparency earned us a reputation as a company you can count on – in Googong, Murray & Riverina, and across the nation.
By understanding the pulse of our community, we've identified key areas where innovative thinking and technological advancements can make a tangible difference. Whether it's exploring new markets, streamlining operations, or embracing emerging trends, COLETEK walks alongside local businesses, navigating challenges and opportunities with empathy and expertise.
We're not just about numbers; we're about people – the folks who call Googong, Murray & Riverina home. Our dedication to this beautiful region reflects our genuine desire to be a pillar of support for entrepreneurs, job creators, and community leaders. When local businesses thrive, we all benefit – and that's what drives us at COLETEK.
As your trusted partner in Googong, Murray & Riverina, COLETEK is ready to roll up our sleeves and work with you, understanding your unique goals, and delivering tailored support that yields meaningful outcomes. With a deep appreciation for the unique rhythms of New South Wales's stunning countryside, we're positioned to empower local businesses, driving growth and prosperity in this special corner of Australia.
Contact UsIntuitive, innovative & efficient are three words that would appropriately describe the COLETEK service. Luke and the team at COLETEK have taken our concepts to the next level.
COLETEK have provided one to one communication throughout the development process and gone above and beyond in bringing our ideas closer to becoming a reality! Luke's expertise and knowledge with computer software and electronics is Jedi like, but what I liked most about working with him was his willingness and ability to think outside of the box.