Sonair raises $6M to roll out safe 3D ultrasonic sensors for robots

Oslo-based
Sonair, a sensing technology company, has raised $6 million from a group of
existing and new international investors, including Copenhagen-based Scale Capital and Norway’s state-backed Investinor, with continued support from
RunwayFBU (part of the Aker group), SINTEF, and ProVenture.

Sonair is
a sensing technology company focused on making autonomous machines safer,
smarter, and more cost-effective. Its patented ADAR (acoustic detection and
ranging) sensor, the first safe 3D ultrasonic sensor for robots, delivers
precise, real-time 3D spatial awareness to support safe operation in shared
human–machine environments. The technology originates from SINTEF, a leading
Norwegian research institute.

For robots to operate
alongside humans, safety has to be built in from the start. ADAR gives
manufacturers a straightforward and more affordable way to achieve that,

said Knut Sandven, CEO and
co-founder of Sonair.

Sonair’s patented
ultrasound technology is designed to provide precise 3D perception at a lower
cost than LiDAR. Following pilots with more than 30 companies, the initial
focus is on autonomous mobile robots in logistics and manufacturing, a segment
projected to reach $15.6 billion by 2030.

Growing warehouse
automation, labour constraints, and evolving safety requirements are increasing
demand for systems that enable people and robots to operate in close proximity.
ADAR combines safe 3D object detection, full vertical field of view, and low computational
needs to support safer robot navigation without adding significant complexity
or cost.

Sandven added:

If a robot can’t operate
safely around people, it won’t be widely adopted. We’re giving manufacturers a
tool they can trust, one that helps them meet the highest safety standards
without slowing down innovation.

One of Sonair’s customers, Fuji Corporation in Japan, is developing autonomous robots for use in retail
settings. In Europe, another customer is building cleaning robots for
commercial buildings. In both applications, safety is a key requirement since
the robots are designed to operate in close proximity to people.

Following its launch earlier this
year, ADAR is now shipping to manufacturers across Asia, Europe, and North
America. The new funding will support expansion into global target markets and
efforts to establish a new category in robotic perception.