3D Ultrasonic Sensor for Robotic Safety - Sonair

The Evolving Landscape of Robotic Safety

With robots becoming increasingly integrated into environments shared with humans, robotics firms are compelled to reassess their safety protocols. Traditional safety considerations, applicable when robots operated in isolated settings, are no longer sufficient.

Sonair's Innovative Approach to Robotic Perception

Sonair proposes that its sensor technology offers a superior and more cost-effective alternative to prevalent lidar systems, aiding robotics companies in achieving enhanced safety standards.

Based in Oslo, Norway, the company has developed an ADAR (acoustic detection and ranging) sensor. This utilizes high-frequency sound waves to provide robots with spatial awareness.

How ADAR Sensors Function

These sensors emit ultrasound and analyze the returning echoes. This process generates a three-dimensional representation of the robot’s surrounding environment.

This data serves to augment the information gathered from a robot’s existing sensors and cameras, providing the operating system with a more complete understanding of its surroundings.

The Importance of Multi-Sensory Perception

“Human perception relies heavily on vision, but also incorporates other senses like hearing, all interpreted by the brain,” explains Knut Sandven, co-founder and CEO of Sonair, in a TechCrunch interview. “Robots and autonomous machines require a similar multi-sensory approach. While cameras excel at environmental understanding, they lack consistent object detection capabilities under all conditions.”

Addressing the Limitations of Lidar

Sonair’s technology is specifically designed to address these shortcomings, particularly in the realm of depth perception. Lidar sensors, which utilize light beams to measure distances, are a conventional solution. However, Sandven asserts that Sonair’s sensors offer a more comprehensive data capture capability.

“Lidar functions like a focused laser beam,” Sandven clarifies. “Conversely, sound, when projected, permeates an entire space. Our sensors effectively ‘fill the room with sound.’”

Seamless Integration and Broad Compatibility

The sensor’s data output conforms to established industry standards, ensuring compatibility with a diverse range of robotic hardware and software platforms.

Since its release earlier this year, the sensor has garnered significant interest within the robotics sector. Several companies are currently planning to integrate Sonair’s sensors into their upcoming robot models, according to Sandven.

Expanding Applications in Industrial Safety

Demand is also emerging from the industrial safety domain. Companies are deploying the sensors to detect human presence in areas with operating machinery, enabling automated shutdown procedures to prevent accidents.

Securing Funding for Scaled Adoption

To facilitate wider adoption of its technology, Sonair recently secured $6 million in funding. This round included participation from both new and existing investors, including Scale Capital, Investinor (Norway’s state-backed investment fund), and ProVenture.

Investor Recognition of a Critical Need

Sandven notes that investors with expertise in the robotics field readily grasped the problem Sonair is addressing. This is unsurprising, given the increasing importance of safety as robots become more prevalent in human-populated spaces – mirroring the safety discussions that accompanied the early development of self-driving cars.

Safety Concerns and the Future of Humanoid Robots

Fady Saad, a general partner at robotics-focused Cybernetix Ventures (not an investor in Sonair), recently shared with TechCrunch that safety concerns are a key factor influencing his skepticism regarding the near-term adoption of humanoid robots in residential settings.

“A significant, often overlooked, challenge with humanoids in homes is safety and security,” Saad stated in August. “The potential for injury to pets or children from a falling robot is a serious consideration.”

A Unique Position in the Market

Sandven indicates that Sonair currently lacks direct competitors offering sonar-based sensors, although this situation may evolve as more companies prioritize robotic safety solutions.

A Vision for Ubiquitous Integration

“My ambition is for this technology to become as commonplace in robots as cameras are today,” Sandven concludes. “A reassessment of our progress in a year’s time will reveal whether we are on track to achieve this goal.”