It is estimated that in the US, the existing manufacturing skills gap will result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. This can be filled by robots but a lot of preparatory work is necessary. Specialists develop software code line-by-line to trigger the individual movements of the machines. This is complex, expensive, and makes robots inflexible, as variance in positions or materials throws the robots off.
Berlin-based Micropsi Industries develops software for robots. Their product – MIRAI enables industrial robots to handle variance in production. MIRAI-powered robots use cameras and sensors to react in real-time to dynamic conditions in a workspace.
$30M funding
Now, Micropsi Industries has closed $30M in a Series B funding round. The investment round was led by new investors Metaplanet, VSquared and Ahren Innovation Capital alongside participation from existing investors Project A Ventures and M Ventures.
The funds will be used to expand operations in the US, ramp up sales efforts and expand to more robot platforms.
Recently, Micropsi Industries hired robotics expert Prof. Dominik Bösl as managing director to be in charge of the company’s ambitious technology roadmap. Prof. Bösl previously held positions at Festo, Kuka, and Microsoft.
“Our technology makes it easy to transfer dynamic motion know-how from humans to robots. We have not optimized the textbook approach for specific applications but took a radically different approach inspired by how humans coordinate motions”, said Ronnie Vuine, CEO and co-founder of Micropsi. “MIRAI is a proven and independent technology that’s working 24/7 in the factories of our customers. That is what convinced our investors: Here is a company that can already verifiably do what many current startups only promise to develop.”
Rauno Miljand, managing partner at Metaplanet, said: “Intelligent robot automation could tap into a currently locked productivity pool. The end-to-end learning solution built by Micropsi is one of the most advanced systems in the market and is well-positioned to unlock potential in a wide array of industrial settings. The ease of use and the fast learning cycle make it one of the most scalable platforms in the industry.”
MIRAI robot control system
Founded by Ronnie Vuine, Dominik Welland, and Priska Herger in 2014, Micropsi Industries provides ready-to-use AI systems for controlling industrial robots to enable the automation of manufacturing processes that so far could not be automated. Its MIRAI robot control system enables hand-eye-coordinated actions for automation of tasks that improve productivity in industrial environments.
Using cameras and sensors to react in real-time to dynamic conditions in a workspace, Micropsi-powered robots can be trained by humans to perform hand-eye-coordinated actions in industrial environments.
This enables robots to handle variance and changes in the environment and the robot’s target at execution time. This expands the commercial potential of industrial robots, as it allows them to handle complexity and keeps them flexible even as conditions change
MIRAI is successfully deployed in assembly, material handling and quality control applications in a wide range of industries. Already, companies such as Siemens Energy, ZF Group, one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world, and BSH, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe are using MIRAI in their production halls.
How is it beneficial?
MIRAI-powered robots can handle variance in position, shape, or movement in the workspace. MIRAI can be quickly trained for new tasks on site and is therefore a universal tool. One can even mount a robot with MIRAI on wheels and have it take over individual work steps.
Robots with MIRAI often achieve a return-on-investment in under 12 months. They are equipped for new tasks so quickly that even the automation of three-month production runs is worthwhile. With MIRAI, you build up internal AI expertise, freeing yourself from external automation providers. MIRAI training is easily done by non-engineers.
