Robust.AI picks Aptiv's PULSE sensor for Carter robot

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.

3 Key Points

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.