Oslo-based Sonair has built an acoustic detection and ranging (ADAR) sensor that emits high-frequency ultrasound and processes the returning echoes to create a three-dimensional map of nearby objects. The company positions its technology as a complementary alternative to LIDAR, arguing that filling a room with sound offers richer, more reliable depth data than a single laser sweep. Released earlier this year, the sensor outputs data in standard robotics formats, allowing straightforward integration with existing hardware and software stacks. Robotics manufacturers are already planning to embed the sensor in upcoming models, and industrial customers are using it to automatically shut down heavy machinery when people enter restricted zones. Sonair currently faces little direct competition in sonar-based robotic perception but anticipates new entrants as safety standards tighten. Management’s long-term vision is to make its sensor as ubiquitous as cameras in autonomous systems. Although no revenue or user figures were disclosed, the firm is entering a scale-up phase backed by fresh capital.

Total raised

$8M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Sep 2025