Sonair Unveils Safety-Certified 3D Ultrasonic Sensor for Human-Robot Collaboration

While the AI boom has made robots significantly more capable, the accompanying safety infrastructure has struggled to keep pace. Traditional 2D laser scanners, which are widely used to define safety perimeters for most mobile robotic systems, are unable to detect people and obstacles above or below a single plane.

“The bottleneck to safe human-robot coexistence isn't intelligence or speed,” said Knut Sandven, CEO of Sonair. “It's safe perception; knowing reliably under any condition, that a human is nearby. This milestone certification is the first time a 3D sensor has been independently verified to meet that bar using sound instead of light - a new sensing modality that complements cameras where they fall short.”

Designed for autonomous mobile robots and industrial automation, ADAR One delivers 180°×180° 3D spatial awareness, detecting people and obstacles at all heights, eliminating the limitations and blind spots that define today's 2D safety systems. Easy integration with a tiny footprint enables ADAR (acoustic detection and ranging) technology to be embedded flush into virtually any robot form factor, including humanoids.

“ADAR One does not merely replace a sensor. It introduces a new safety layer for robotics, a certified 3D perceptual foundation that sits beneath any camera, AI stack, or motion system, independently verifying that the space around a robot is safe,” said Sandven.

ADAR One is already in series production and shipping on deployed industrial robots. Since the introduction of the beta version of ADAR one year ago, more than 80 global robotics companies have rigorously evaluated ADAR through Sonair's test program within. For many, safety certification is the moment they have been waiting for.

BeRobox has entered into an agreement with Sonair to deploy the safety-certified ADAR One sensor in future solutions. The agreement marks certified 3D safety arriving in one of industrial automation's highest throughput use cases, where machines and people share the tightest spaces.

"At BeRobox, innovation is not just about developing new products. It's about continuously integrating the best technologies available to simplify automation for our customers. Partnering with Sonair is another step in our mission to stay ahead through innovation and deliver the most advanced, user-friendly palletizing and depalletizing solutions on the market,” said David Demers, CEO of BeRobox.

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