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WHAT IS WOBBL
About
Today, many self-driving vehicles use LiDAR to see the world around them. These LiDAR scanners are costly to produce, limited in their ability to see, and unsafe to use in complex environments. These are the three key barriers to democratization.
This is where Wobbl comes in. With Wobbl, self-driving vehicles using 3D spinning LiDAR can see the world clearer than ever before. Wobbl makes 3D spinning LiDAR sensors cheaper, safer, and more versatile.
So what exactly is Wobbl?
Wobbl is a patented hardware attachment with a unique software component that can pair with any 3D Spinning LiDAR sensor and enhance that sensor’s ability to see the world around it. By utilizing a single motor and rotary joint, this simple yet powerful device that you see on the screen before you can dynamically change the speed and angle at which it rotates creating a calculated wobble motion that allows LiDAR sensors used in self driving to fill in their gaps of sight.
Illustrating the Wobbl Effect
To illustrate the wobble effect, notice the gaps between the three sets of red dots on the right. Each dot represents what a typical LiDAR sensor sees without the added wobble motion. When the wobble motion is introduced it allows the sensor to distribute the same number of points at different angles on different rotations…filling in the gaps.
BENEFITS OF WOBBL
How Wobbl makes LiDAR cheaper, safer and more versatile
CHEAPER
Improving Commercial Viability
To make LiDAR used in self driving more affordable, Wobbl elevates cheaper LiDAR sensors from mediocre to exceptional. Take, for example, the image above. This was captured using a 75 thousand dollar Velodyne LiDAR sensor. The magic of Wobbl is that by attaching this technology to a cheaper Velodyne sensor (~$10,000), a user can achieve a similar high-quality image through Wobbl’s patented dynamic wobble motion without spending the extra $65,000
SAFER
Improving trust
No matter the LiDAR sensor, with Wobbl attached, self driving becomes exceptionally safer. The wobble motion is programmed to fill in the inherent gaps of vision that any traditional 3D spinning LiDAR scanner has. This means that smaller objects, such as squirrels, debris on the road, potholes, and even children are more likely to be seen by the car.
MORE VERSATILE
Improving LiDAR flexibility
The versatility that Wobbl provides self-driving is in the technology’s ability to adapt to specific environments. Whether it be a school zone, a busy city intersection, or a highway Wobbl can find a way to provide incredible value. By dynamically changing the degree and speed at whitch the wobble motion is carried out, a self-driving car’s vision can constantly adapt to its surroundings for maximum necessary visibility.