JD.COM × Chongqing Post proposes a vision – lidar fusion perception model based on the Mars rover environment detection, and the industry-university-research fusion leads the development of cutting-edge science and technology

Recently, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications and JD.com Joint Research Center for Future Intelligent Vision Technology released important scientific research results, and both sides jointly proposed a vision – lidar fusion perception model. This technology is now actively adapting to the environment of Mars rover, which will be conducive to the perception and understanding of the surrounding environment of Mars rover in the future. In addition, both parties have carried out technical research and development on the problem of high cost and insufficient data of Mars environmental data labeling. Relevant papers have been submitted to CVPR, the international top conference in the field of computer vision, and key technologies have also been applied for patents.
On November 7, at the second China (Chongqing) Guangyang Bay Green and Low-Carbon Development Summit – the Chongqing Station of the JD Cloud City Summit, the Joint Research Center of Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications and JD Future Intelligent Vision Technology was officially unveiled. The research center aims to accelerate the construction of the JD Exploration and Research Institute’s supercomputing center and cutting-edge technology research, and promote the innovation of scientific and technological achievements in Chongqing Economic and Technological Development Zone.
It is understood that the Joint Research Center of Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications and JD Future Intelligent Vision Technology will give full play to the industrial advantages of JD and the talent advantages of Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and take advantage of JD Technology’s advantages in 3D data perception, quantum communication transmission, unmanned vehicle transportation and other advanced technologies in the industry, focus on the field of artificial intelligence technology, and commit to achieving subversive innovation from the basic theoretical level. At present, the two sides are carrying out research and development of future key technologies such as “Mars unmanned exploration vehicle and land and air cargo logistics shuttle”.
According to the relevant person in charge of JD Exploration and Research Institute, the vision sensor imaging in the Martian environment is faced with many weather challenges such as light, temperature, sandstorm, etc., resulting in poor image quality and other problems. The surface of Mars has diverse rocks, minerals and landforms, and its apparent characteristics are similar. It is also very challenging to extract discriminative 3D visual semantic features and achieve accurate positioning. A single algorithm based on pure visual perception or an algorithm based on laser radar is difficult to meet the perception task in the Martian environment. In order to ensure the safe driving and timely and accurate completion of the mission of the Mars rover, we propose a perception model based on vision-lidar fusion. On the one hand, this model fully excavates the unique information of each mode, and on the other hand, it fuses the two modes to make them complement each other. We believe that this achievement will provide assistance for the future development of Mars exploration in China.
In April 2018, JD Group and Chongqing Municipal Government signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly promote the development of big data intelligent innovation, after which several major projects have been launched in Chongqing. Taking the Supercomputing Center of JD Exploration and Research Institute as an example, Tianqin, the first large-scale computing cluster based on DGX SuperPOD architecture in Chongqing α” It is operating steadily, supporting the cutting-edge research of JD Research Institute in super deep learning, trusted AI and quantum machine learning. The large data center is located in the west, which not only satisfies the improvement of its own computing power, security and stability, as well as technical research, but also improves the endogenous power of the development of digital economy in the west by “enriching intelligence with data and integrating data with reality”.