Norwegian deep-tech startup Sonair is presenting its safety-certified 3D ultrasound sensor ADAR to improve workplace safety in environments shared by humans and robots. ADAR enables full 360-degree 3D obstacle detection around autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). AMR manufacturers can use it to build safer and more affordable autonomous robots at significantly lower costs than with current sensor packages. Sonair’s patented ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging) technology detects people and objects in 3D. A single ADAR sensor provides a complete field of view of 180 x 180 degrees and a detection range of five meters for the robot’s safety functions — like a virtual protective shield.
ADAR is developed according to ISO 13849:2023 Performance Level d / SIL2. Sonair aims to achieve full safety certification by the end of 2025.
Sensor technology validated
More than 20 global companies — including AMR manufacturers, industrial firms, automotive suppliers, and companies in healthcare and cleaning — have already validated the effectiveness of the ADAR sensor through an Early Access Program launched in summer 2024.
Commercial orders and confirmations are already in place. For example, Japan’s FUJI CORPORATION has selected ADAR for a future line of autonomous mobile robots.
“Sonair combines rapid development capabilities with a flexible mindset,” says Koji Kawaguchi, General Manager of the Innovation Promotion Department at FUJI CORPORATION. “Thanks to strong collaboration and extensive testing, we were able to confirm the sensor’s high suitability for autonomous mobile robots.”
What is ADAR?
Acoustic Detection and Ranging (ADAR), a patented innovation by Sonair, represents a new category of 3D depth sensors. It enables autonomous robots to achieve omnidirectional depth perception, allowing them to “hear” their surroundings in real time using airborne sound waves to interpret spatial information. “ADAR is an advanced plug-and-play sensing technology that supports compliance with safety standards. Thanks to its compact size and low power and compute requirements, it can be easily integrated into a combined sensor package,” explains Knut Sandven, Sonair CEO.”
