Intelligent One (iO), the world’s first autonomous robot dedicated to the hands-free, initial marking and over-marking of sports pitches, running tracks and more, won the Innovation Award at SALTEX recently.

Available from Rigby Taylor, iO combines the latest technology with the Impact ready-to-use paint and is suited for multi-pitches and multi-facilities marking.

It was for these reasons that a panel of expert judges selected iO the winner for the award at SALTEX.

Featuring a sophisticated built-in GPS-RTK receiver that links with a portable base station for accurate and reliable global satellite referencing, the iO operating tablet can plot and store multi-use line marking templates.

The iO with operator and satellite receiver

Once manoeuvred into place by the operator from directions sent by the tablet, the iO will, for example, mark out a football pitch - all the perimeter and playing area straight lines, the ‘D’ areas, centre circle, corner angles and even the penalty spot without the operator having any physical contact with the machine. Even pitches with fixed post sockets can be marked.

The iO can be programmed to mark multiple pitches as, for instance, at a training ground and will move to an adjacent pitch to carry on marking. It can mark all day long because it comes with rechargeable lithium ion batteries and changer.

The iO is capable of marking the following sports surfaces: football - any length/width and including fixed sockets; rugby (union and league); multi-lane athletic running tracks; tennis courts; and lacrosse, hockey and American football pitches. The iO marking of additional sports surfaces is currently under development.