Digital Realty is an unparalleled provider of data center operations and delivers the world’s largest data center platform. ANYmal is assisting Digital Realty in Switzerland to partially automate recurring human-centric processes. Through hundreds of autonomous missions conducted by ANYmal, inspections are performed faster, more reliably, and more cost-effectively over longer periods. Even in complete darkness, ANYmal performs effectively, enabling Digital Realty to increase security at their data centers in Zurich.
* Video courtesy of Digital Realty in Switzerland
Digital Realty – Unparalleled Data Center Operations
Digital Realty is a leading European provider of data center services and delivers the world’s largest data center platform. Digital Realty’s customers have access to over 300 data centers in over 50 metros across six continents.
Digital Realty focuses on providing data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions ranging from cloud and information technology services, communications, and social networking to financial services, for customers across a variety of industry verticals including manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and consumer products. The Digital Realty Campus in Switzerland is located in Zurich.
Further Improving Security Through Robotic Inspections
Data centers are a 24/7 business with the highest availability requirements. Making data center operations even more secure and predictable requires continuous, accurate data in real time. As an important center for innovation and technological progress, and a leading provider of carrier-neutral colocation, Digital Realty Switzerland has embarked on a completely new, innovative path. With the assistance of ANYbotics and their industrial-grade, AI-driven agile robot ANYmal, Digital Realty is partially automating recurring human-centric processes in their data centers in Switzerland.
ANYmal has been conducting inspection missions every day at Digital Realty in Zurich, performing regular monitoring and measurements of specific systems, since July 2022. ANYmal integrates and continuously monitors Digital Realty’s HVAC systems, for example, as well as checking whether measured values are within standard ranges. The reliable and smooth operation of the cooling system is business-critical and ANYmal enables increased security and availability in the data center.
ANYmal inspecting Digital Realty’s data center in Zurich.
With the help of ANYmal, we are creating new and innovative ways to improve data center operations. ANYmal runs autonomously and delivers data digitally without the need for manual intervention. 24/7 data collection for early detection of faults increases security and reliability in the data center. – Denis Marusic, Director Operations at Digital Realty in Zurich.
ANYmal Complements Digital Realty’s Workers
ANYmal’s autonomous capabilities create the potential for automating work in the most effective way so that efficiency and quality are balanced by the precise execution of recurring workflows. This means that certain inspection activities can be performed faster, more reliably, and more cost-effectively over longer periods.
People are still needed, however, because accurate data analysis and the resultant decisions require critical thinking and human intervention. ANYmal supports Digital Realty’s staff by providing consistent, precise asset and equipment data which it acquires on its regular inspection missions.
It’s great to be pioneering this project together with Digital Realty and to assist in continuously optimizing their data center operations. – Karsten Sausen, Director Business Development, ANYbotics.
A Typical Day Of Inspection Missions At Digital Realty
Digital Realty’s ANYmal performs 24/7, conducting hundreds of inspections in hourly autonomous missions every day. Typically ANYmal performs 9 inspection missions daily, which are scheduled through the ANYmal API. It monitors up to 70 elements taking visual, thermal, and acoustic measurements on its 2-hours missions. After completing each mission cycle, ANYmal navigates and connects to a docking station to recharge for its next mission, thereby ensuring 24/7 operability.
ANYmal’s tasks not only include automating routine inspections, but also condition monitoring so that deviating values can be quickly detected. ANYmal views an entire room from different angles to detect cables, pipes, gauges, pumps, and switches and detects anomalies. If cables overheat, pumps vibrate excessively or irregular frequency patterns are detected, ANYmal triggers an alert message for operators to implement manual interventions.
ANYmal autonomously returning to its docking station.
Effective Inspection Missions – Day or Night
Through LiDAR, ANYmal is equipped with active lighting and capable of conducting inspections in the dark. Even in complete darkness, ANYmal performs effectively, navigating narrow corridors, while detecting and avoiding hazardous obstacles. In addition, an LED spotlight is fitted to support visual inspections in low-light conditions to maintain inspection data quality. No additional lighting is required for ANYmal to deliver frequent and reliable inspection results. This allows Digital Realty to schedule inspection missions to be performed in all low-light areas and during night shifts. The continuous monitoring of Digital Realty’s HVAC systems, for example.
ANYmal inspection using its onboard LED spotlight.
ANYmal Enables Wide-ranging Optimization
ANYmal’s autonomous inspection routines are integrated with existing Digital Realty maintenance management systems, allowing inspection data and analyses to be systematically collected. Analysis of the intelligently collected data allows Digital Realty to make informed decisions quickly and to optimize inspection, monitoring, and maintenance processes in their operations.
Increasing Automation in the Data Center Industry
Digital Realty’s innovative approach, through deploying ANYmal for autonomous inspections, is a crucial step towards increasing automation in the data center industry. ANYbotics looks forward to providing continued support to Digital Realty by automating recurring human-centric processes and enabling increased security and availability in their data centers in Zurich.
Learn more
| Find out more about how ANYmal performs effective autonomous industrial inspections in this 6-minute online demonstration. |
About ANYbotics
Since 2016, Swiss robotics company ANYbotics has developed innovative, intelligent, and integrated robotic solutions that improve workers’ lives, increase productivity, and support more sustainable industrial facilities. Partnering with global technology leaders, ANYbotics provides large asset operators with autonomous, automated, end-to-end robotic inspection solutions for complex, hazardous, and explosive industrial environments. ANYbotics is a fast-growing company with over 100 employees focused on supporting the inspection needs of workers in oil & gas, power, energy, mining, processing, chemicals, transportation, and construction.