Robot maker ABB, Oerlikon, Switzerland, has acquired Sevensense, a leader in artificial intelligence (AI)-based 3D visual navigation technologies that can be used by autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Financial details were not available.
Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Swiss technical university ETH Zurich, Sevensense developed a technology that combines AI and 3D vision, enabling AMRs to navigate highly complex environments and differentiate between fixed and mobile objects. The technology constantly updates AMRs’ maps and shares them across the fleet.
ABB had been a minority owner since 2021, and its AI-powered 3D vision technologies are key for the fast-growing AMR market, which is expected to grow at an compound annual growth rate of 20 percent through 2026, from $5.5 billion to $9.5 billion.
“This marks a significant step towards our vision of a workplace where AI-enabled robots assist people, addressing our customers' needs for greater flexibility and intelligence amidst critical skilled labor shortages,” said Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and its discrete automation business. “Each mobile robot, equipped with vision and AI, scans a unique part of the building; collectively these robots complement each other’s view to form a complete map, enabling them to work autonomously in a rapidly changing environment.”
