RealSense, an Intel brand known for depth cameras, on Friday announced that it had completed spinning out from Intel and will be operating independently from now on. The new company will retain the name RealSense and will focus on AI, robotics, biometrics, and computer vision. The now independent company has secured $50 million in Series A funding from Intel Capital (a nice farewell funding) and MediaTek Innovation Fund to expand its presence in existing and new markets as well as to scale its production and sales.
"We are excited to build on our leadership position in 3D perception in robotics and see scalable growth potential in the rise of physical AI," said Nadav Orbach, CEO of RealSense. "Our independence allows us to move faster and innovate more boldly to adapt to rapidly changing market dynamics as we lead the charge in AI innovation and the coming robotics renaissance."
RealSense develops depth-sensing cameras and embedded vision systems used in automation, access control, and robotics. The company says that its technologies are used in 60% of autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs) and humanoid robots worldwide, which is quite a good start. Presently, RealSense works with more than 3,000 clients globally and holds over 80 patents in computer vision technology. Partners of the company include ANYbotics, Eyesynth, Fit:Match, and Unitree Robotics.
RealSense says that robotics is projected to grow from $50 billion to more than $200 billion in six years, and humanoid robot demand is increasing at over 40% annually. TSMC seems to be a bit more conservative, as predictions that it cited at its recent European Technology Symposium indicate that the market for AI robots will become a $35 billion market by 2030. But anyhow, demand for computer vision systems is set to grow rapidly in the coming years, to a large degree thanks to the proliferation of edge AI. In addition, face recognition is gaining traction in public use, from transportation hubs to venues.
To meet this growing demand, RealSense is adding engineers in AI, software, and robotics. It is also expanding its sales and go-to-market teams to improve its reach in both mature and emerging markets, so $50 million from Intel and MediaTek will come in handy.
The company's latest device is the D555 camera that includes Power over Ethernet and is built on the Vision SoC V5 platform. The RealSense yet has to integrate it into high-volume devices, but the company aims to continue supporting its existing products and clients while also pushing into adjacent markets, so expect D555 in a device near you.
"Our mission is to enable the world to integrate robotics and AI in everyday life safely," said Orbach. "This technology is not about replacing human creativity or decision-making, but about removing danger and drudgery from human work. Our systems are built to amplify human potential by offloading these types of tasks to machines equipped with intelligent, secure, and reliable vision systems."
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