Caterpillar is working with FieldAI to develop and deploy AI-powered robotics and autonomous systems for jobsites and manufacturing facilities. The collaboration focuses on autonomous inspections, digital twins, situational awareness and operational optimization.
The companies plan to combine Caterpillar’s engineering capabilities and operational data with FieldAI’s robot foundation models. FieldAI develops robot-agnostic autonomy technology intended to allow machines to operate in complex and changing industrial environments.
One of the initial applications is autonomous inspection. Robots can be used to inspect industrial sites and facilities while collecting information about equipment, infrastructure and operations. The companies say this could reduce the need for workers to enter potentially hazardous areas while providing additional operational data.
Caterpillar and FieldAI are also developing digital twins of jobsites and manufacturing facilities. These virtual representations use operational data to provide information about equipment and infrastructure. The companies intend to use the technology to identify potential risks, simulate operations and support decisions about workflows and equipment.
“The future of our industries will be shaped by how effectively we combine human expertise with AI-powered machines,” said Jaime Mineart, Caterpillar chief technology officer. “We’re focused on applying AI where it matters most, helping customers improve safety, increase productivity and get more value from every operation.”
The collaboration forms part of Caterpillar’s work on connected and autonomous industrial operations. The company has outlined a concept for future jobsites that combines intelligent machines, connected workflows and digital information.
Within Caterpillar’s manufacturing operations, the technologies are also intended to provide employees with more information about how facilities are operating. John Tuntland, Caterpillar senior vice president of the Integrated Components Division, said the systems could give teams greater visibility into facilities and help them identify opportunities to adjust safety and production processes.
FieldAI says its technology has been deployed across hundreds of sites worldwide. Its software is designed to work with different robot platforms rather than being tied to a particular type of machine or hardware.
The companies will also use NVIDIA accelerated computing and NVIDIA Omniverse technologies to build and operate high-fidelity digital twins based on industrial data. These environments can be used alongside physical AI systems to simulate operations and provide information about conditions at jobsites and factories.
