What makes the PULSE sensor different from older perception systems?

PULSE combines a surround-view camera with ultra-short-range radar for reliable 360-degree sensing while reducing blind spots, cost, and system complexity. By using early fusion of radar and vision on raw data, it enables efficient depth map creation and occupancy grid population for navigation and functional safety—capabilities designed to work in dynamic, dusty, wet, or reflective environments where conventional vision-only systems degrade.

When will the PULSE sensor be safety-certified for warehouse use?

The body states that Aptiv plans to obtain PL(d) certification for PULSE across relevant industrial safety use cases, but no timeline is specified.

What is Carter, and how does it work?

Carter is a collaborative mobile robot designed to augment existing warehouse operations and workforces. It is software-defined, allowing facilities to automate order-fulfillment picking, point-to-point transport, and mobile sorting without additional infrastructure investments. Robust.AI offers it using a performance-based robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model to enable quick deployment and flexible scaling.

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Robotics

Robust.AI equips its Gen 3 Carter warehouse robot with Aptiv's PULSE sensor to improve reliability in messy, dynamic environments where conventional systems often fail.

The Robot Report8h ago5 min read

Key takeaway

Robust.AI, a San Carlos-based robotics company, has integrated Aptiv's PULSE sensor into its Gen 3 Carter mobile robot to improve perception reliability in complex warehouse and manufacturing environments. The PULSE system combines radar and camera inputs using machine learning to reduce blind spots and handle challenging conditions where conventional sensors struggle. Aptiv plans to obtain PL(d) certification—a high-reliability safety standard—for the system in relevant industrial safety applications.

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3 Key Points

What happened
Robust.AI selected Aptiv's PULSE sensor—a camera-and-radar perception system powered by machine learning—for its Gen 3 Carter collaborative mobile robot. Aptiv will pursue PL(d) certification, a high-reliability safety classification under ISO 13849-1, for the PULSE system across relevant industrial safety use cases.
Why it matters
Warehouse and manufacturing floors contain dust, glare, moisture, and reflective surfaces that degrade conventional vision-only sensors. By fusing radar and camera data, PULSE aims to deliver the safety-critical perception reliability that scaled warehouse automation demands—especially as robots operate with higher autonomy near people and equipment.
What to watch
The companies plan to accelerate AI-powered robotic workflows and establish the foundation for PL(d) certification across relevant industrial safety use cases. Aptiv demonstrated the PULSE sensor with Carter at Automate in Chicago this week.

FAQ

What makes the PULSE sensor different from older perception systems?: PULSE combines a surround-view camera with ultra-short-range radar for reliable 360-degree sensing while reducing blind spots, cost, and system complexity. By using early fusion of radar and vision on raw data, it enables efficient depth map creation and occupancy grid population for navigation and functional safety—capabilities designed to work in dynamic, dusty, wet, or reflective environments where conventional vision-only systems degrade.
When will the PULSE sensor be safety-certified for warehouse use?: The body states that Aptiv plans to obtain PL(d) certification for PULSE across relevant industrial safety use cases, but no timeline is specified.
What is Carter, and how does it work?: Carter is a collaborative mobile robot designed to augment existing warehouse operations and workforces. It is software-defined, allowing facilities to automate order-fulfillment picking, point-to-point transport, and mobile sorting without additional infrastructure investments. Robust.AI offers it using a performance-based robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model to enable quick deployment and flexible scaling.

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