Hexagon’s ‘Aeon’ robot, currently installed at BMW’s Leipzig plant, is a multi-purpose robot distinguished by one unique feature. It moves on wheels, unlike the Figure 2 in the United States. According to the developers, this is the most efficient way to cover long distances within a factory, with a speed of 2.5 meters per second.
Intelligent implementation with physical AI
Ion being produced at the BMW factory in Leipzig.
bmw group
With 22 sensors and 34 degrees of freedom, Ion can not only manipulate components but also perform high-precision quality inspections of vehicle doors using an integrated scanner. What’s more, batteries can be swapped out individually within 30 seconds, allowing for long periods of uninterrupted charging.
Ion will be used at the Leipzig plant, among other things, for battery assembly and component manufacturing. Unlike previous cobots, which often actually failed due to a lack of intelligence, Aeon features physical AI. This will enable this generation of robots to learn through simulation, imitation learning, and world models. For example, Aeon uses 360-degree cameras to react in real time to obstacles and passing employees.
