# Autonomous Navigation in GPS-Denied Environments with Ben Williams, COO at Exyn Technologies

- Show: [Over the Air](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air)
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Length: 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/over-the-air/episodes/Autonomous-Navigation-in-GPS-Denied-Environments-with-Ben-Williams--COO-at-Exyn-Technologies-e2l43su

## Summary

Ben Williams, COO of Exyn Technologies, explains how his company uses SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) to enable autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments like mines and caves. He details the engineering challenge of operating in dusty, particulate-heavy conditions, describing how early systems would crash until they developed an action framework to detect and avoid these hazards. Williams highlights the transition from manual piloting to fully autonomous operations, noting partnerships with hardware providers like Boston Dynamics and software firms like Cesium to build a multimodal autonomy ecosystem.

## Chapters

- [0:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=5) Introduction: Ben Williams and Exyn Technologies
- [1:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=119) SLAM and Autonomous Mapping in GPS-Denied Environments
- [4:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=279) Handling Dust and Particulate Matter in Mining
- [6:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=405) Early Failures and Developing the Action Framework
- [10:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=658) Solving 'Wrong Side of Impossible' Technical Problems
- [12:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-10-26-autonomous-navigation-in-gps-denied-environments-with-ben-williams-coo-at-exyn-t#t=778) Future Roadmap: Multimodal Autonomy and Partnerships

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Exyn Technologies (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Cesium (company)
- Trimble (company)
- Spot (product)
- SLAM (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Autonomous submarines for ocean exploration; drone autonomy with Exyn Technologies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-12-03-autonomous-submarines-for-ocean-exploration-drone-autonomy-with-exyn-technologie) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Looking Down to Go Forward: Ground Penetrating Radar for Autonomous Vehicles](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2024-06-18-looking-down-to-go-forward-ground-penetrating-radar-for-autonomous-vehicles) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Boston Dynamics talks about its big year, Hyundai acquisition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-12-16-boston-dynamics-talks-about-its-big-year-hyundai-acquisition) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [#006 - How a drone company overcame the limitations of indoor applications for restaurants, warehouses, with Junyang Woon of Infinium Robotics, Singapore](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2016-12-28-006-how-a-drone-company-overcame-the-limitations-of-indoor-applications-for-rest) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [Episode 91: Robot navigation on land and in water - John Leonard](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-09-27-episode-91-robot-navigation-on-land-and-in-water-john-leonard) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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