Industrial automation is facing a paradigm shift: machines, robots and mobile systems are increasingly learning to "understand" space. With the new "OPC UA Companion Specification for Identification and Localization," the associations AIM-D e.V., Profibus & Profinet International (PI), together with the open localization standard "omlox" and the OPC Foundation, aim to lay the foundation for a common language of "spatial intelligence." A press release dated November 3 reports on this.
Uniform Spatial Understanding Required
Physical AI — also AI that actively perceives the physical space and acts contextually — requires a uniform understanding of positions, movements, and identities
in space, argue the cooperation partners. This is precisely where the new Companion Specification comes in: It is intended to standardize the spatial data model for absolute coordinates within the OPC Foundation and enable globally consistent localization of assets in the digital and physical world.
Thus seamless integration of spatial data into industrial IT and OT systems becomes possible — the prerequisite for autonomous mobile robots, intelligent assistance systems and self-organizing production environments, according to the announcement.
The new specification is now freely available on the OPC Foundation's websites.
“Machines require a uniform understanding of their position in
space, for a coordinated interaction between stationary facilities and mobile robots in the flexible production of tomorrow,” explains Dr. Matthias Jöst, omlox Committee Lead at PI. “With the now-available OPC UA Companion Spec, the OPC Foundation, AIM-D and PI jointly lay the groundwork for a new generation of spatially networked and AI-enabled systems.”
“AIM benefits particularly from the combination of AutoID and localization technologies,” adds Peter Altes, Managing Director AIM-D e.V. “The uniform data model strengthens interoperability – a crucial prerequisite for digitally networked logistics and industry.”
Stefan Hoppe, President and Executive Director of the OPC Foundation, emphasizes:
“OPC UA connects worlds – from identification through localization to control. This new specification shows how open standards jointly create real interoperability – and makes the industrial Internet of Things scalable and future-proof.”
The collaboration of AIM-D, omlox and PI and the OPC Foundation has set itself the goal of bringing together the disciplines of identification, localization and communication in a common spatial context. This is intended to create a crucial foundation to equip robots, vehicles and machines with a common spatial understanding – the key to Physical AI, resilient supply chains and autonomous industrial ecosystems, the cooperation
