Venture projects company Strategic Elements (ASX: SOR) has announced the key development of a ‘Sensor Fusion’ stack that will allow for the creation of a completely new generation of autonomous robotic security vehicles (ASVs).

The breakthrough integrates a number of different sensors in order to allow the ASV to respond with a more human-like thought process. As the Company notes in their announcement, it should allow their ASV to have more advanced sensory capabilities than human security guards.

This is a key step for Strategic Elements towards their roadmap of achieving advanced Artificial Intelligence capabilities for their ASV.

The end goal for the project is to create an ASV capable of completely automating perimeter security, a global market forecast to grow at CAGR of 12% from 2020-2026, and reach USD $282.26B by 2025.

The Fusion Stack combines sensors such as LiDAR, radar, GPS, sonar, thermal imaging, and multiple camera types in order to create an accurate picture of the local environment, while the ASV has the intelligence to understand the inputs and respond in a very human way. 

For example, not being able to just detect a human, but interpreting their purpose and actions.

The combination of sensors can also allow the ASV to out-work their human counterparts by being able to see in the dark, and even around corners, without losing focus or needing a smoke break.

“We have undertaken a significant amount of work to plan and design the next generation of the ASV. In our view, the Sensor Fusion stack is just the start of showing how we can add advanced intelligence into our robotics platform,” said Strategic Elements Managing Director Charles Murphy.

“We are generating significant momentum across our technology projects, including the Electronic Battery and Memory links and look forward to communicating these developments as they occur. 

“We can see how we can develop, test, and validate the technologies to potentially attract significant interest from industry participants. Our technologies are by design highly innovative and seek large global markets and as a Company we are highly leveraged to technology development success.”

Strategic Elements is a bit different to most ASX listed stocks, it is a venture builder that combines teams of leading scientists and innovators to develop projects that otherwise would be too difficult or expensive to see through on their own.

It is registered as a Pooled Development Fund, with investors not required to pay tax on capital gains or dividends thanks to a Federal Government program that encourages investment in innovation.