Pokémon GO Data Now Powers Delivery Robot Navigation Systems
A partnership between AI company Coco Robotics and developer of the game's original creator is leveraging over 30 billion images captured by players to train robots for navigation in areas where GPS fails. Niantic Spatial, which spun out from Nintendo after selling Pokémon GO rights earlier this year, utilizes its Visual Positioning System with optional scans submitted through mobile games like Pokemon Go and other titles such as The Walking Dead: Our Story or Call of Duty Mobile .
Key Points
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1Niantic Spatial is partnering with Coco Robotics to use data from Pokémon GO for training delivery robot navigation.
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2The system leverages over 30 billion images of urban landmarks captured by players when GPS signals are weak or unavailable.
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3Players who used the game's augmented reality features unknowingly contributed massive datasets that now power artificial intelligence in real-world robotics.
Developments
Perspectives
Niantic Spatial is partnering with Coco Robotics to power navigation for delivery robots using its Visual Positioning System where GPS struggles.
— (Decrypt)"Nearly a decade after the game's release, Pokémon Go"s data from over 30 billion images of urban landmarks captured by players are now being used in artificial intelligence training according to an MIT Technology Review report on Niantic Spatial."
— (Proton.me)The robot invasion has been ushered in because many people played Pokémon Go and utilized the game's augmented reality features.
— (Gonintendo)"All your Pokemon hours will now help robots deliver pizza" as players' engagement with Niantic's app since 2016 is repurposed to train AI for delivery services, even though Niantic no longer owns the game itself."
— (Polygon)Niantic Spatial has partnered with Santa Monica-based company Coco Robotics to provide navigation technology for autonomous delivery robots using its Visual Positioning System (VPS). This system leverages spatial mapping data originally collected by millions of players in the game Pokémon Go, allowing it to locate vehicles accurately where GPS often fails.