Penguin Automated Systems Inc. (“Penguin”) is engaged in the business of developing robotic systems.
Under the leadership of Dr. Greg Baiden, Penguin has developed and continues to develop tele-autonomous robotic technologies at the Penguin Research Centre in Sudbury. Those technologies comprise, among other things, telecommunication systems and equipment, sensory systems and equipment, computer systems, computer software, and actuation systems which enable the development of robotic solutions for the mining industry and other industries.
Important systems developed by Penguin include its Tele-robotic Reconnaissance System, its Underground Positioning System, and its Optical Communication System.
Penguin has developed these technologies with the support and assistance of a number of government agencies, including FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, and is committed to the development of intellectual property as a basis for supporting growth in Northern Ontario.
Penguin is engaged in consulting and development work with leading companies in Canada and elsewhere.
Tell us about yourself?
Greg is the President of Penguin Automated Systems Inc., a research and development company focused on the creation of digital technologies for the future. His work has conceived unique commercial and industrial systems in the fields of robotics and intelligent systems using techniques such as embedded AI.
Greg is a trained business R&D manager as well as a skilled academic researcher. During his career, Greg has led many teams of people, from small, highly talented groups to large multi-hundred-person business organizations. He has skills in managing these groups, from the basics of safety and personnel management to “big” ideas. Greg and his teams have been responsible for conceiving, engineering, and implementing many new patented machine systems.
Greg has held many distinctive positions in his career as a result of his unique “thinking outside-the-box” approach when it comes to challenging areas. This ability has led to robotic and intelligent systems applications in mining, agriculture, construction, transportation, maritime, security, military, and space, as well as over 30 patents.
This knowledge includes senior management experience, leading strategic multinational company research and development, and his ability to operate projects ranging from product development to large-scale collaborative international undertakings. For example, Shackleton Energy had a mission to take learnings from terrestrial mining and apply that knowledge to space mining to create rocket fuel. Greg has written and contributed to strategic thinking in all the areas mentioned and more, as demonstrated through awards from the mining industry to silicon-valley.
Greg is a sought-after consultant and speaker on topics including leadership, technology and their outcomes to society. His involvement in major projects includes: leading and conceiving the Mining Automation Project, including Inco, Tamrock, Dyno Nobel and the Canadian government, consulting on undersea mining with Nautilus Mining, leading the strategic planning for the Canadian Space Agency and Shackleton Energy in commercial mining of water on the moon, the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems international Project as a Canadian representative to establishing international R&D in intelligent systems for manufacturing. This was a collaborative effort between Canada, the U.S.A., Japan, Australia, EC (Economics and Social Science Services Canada), and EFTA (European Free Trade Association).
Other efforts have included conceiving and constructing the underground chamber for the LongNow Foundation Clock (longnow.org) and consulting to the Vatican on the impact of robotics and intelligent systems on the future.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
The challenges of the last few years have required enormous patience, as creating new products and services has been difficult to gain momentum. My advice is to remain patient regarding whatever you believe in.
What problem does your business solve?
Penguin has been formed to support industrial groups in solving several challenges depending on the use of our systems. The combination of high-capacity wireless networking, positioning in GPS and GPS-denied areas, robots with sensing and actuating system (IoT) and swarming control systems using Artificial Intelligence (AI), and traditional control theory which allows users to create new advanced industrial processes. These systems integrated together will improve productivity, reduce operations costs, improve yield, and can change the fundamental outcomes of mining, farming, construction, and many more.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
The inspiration for our business came from transformational work Dr. Baiden did in attempting to change underground mining to operate from surface control rooms more closely akin to a robotic car factory.
This work was done for INCO Limited in one of the largest nickel mines in the world. Subsequent to this work, our business has worked with many mining organizations, from traditional miners to undersea mining and even space mining for NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
What is your magic sauce?
Our magic sauce is a patented optical networking system that has the potential for several orders of magnitude improvement over 5G and the advanced work on positioning systems as a foundation for our groundbreaking Industry 4.0 systems.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
The next five years have several key projects to advance our business plan. These include creating the next generation of our patented wireless networking system, client implementation of our advanced positioning and surveying system and working on the application of our technology for existing and new customers.
Our vision is to expand our technologies across multiple industrial and military clients.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
The biggest challenge faced so far has been continuing to advance through the last three years of COVID-19 restrictions.
How can people get involved?
Penguin is growing to meet our clients’ needs. If you’d like to join our team, please get in touch at www.penguinasi.com or follow our Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram or Twitter.