Mantis Robotics, a pioneer of robotic automation, has developed the first adaptive, human-centered robots. Company officials say its industrial robotic arms are inherently safe for human interaction, eliminating the need for costly and complex external safeguards such as fences or laser barriers. Mantis’ technology learns and understands its environment based on sensor data from a proprietary built-in sensor-suite. This enables Mantis Robots to detect obstacles and humans in its direct environment and adjust the robot’s behavior accordingly in real-time, making robot arms safe and autonomous.

The robot’s intuitive deployment software with a 3D real-time Digital Twin requires no technical or coding knowledge to use, making the robots accessible for diverse industries and users. By reducing operational complexity, Mantis’ robot systems can result in savings of as much as 75% in a typical robotic deployment. The company’s transformative technology has the potential to advance industries far beyond manufacturing and warehousing, paving the way for a new era of human-machine collaboration.

In late December 2024, the company announced it had secured $5 million in new investments led by Emerald Technology Ventures. The Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund also participated. The cash infusion enables Mantis to scale its operations, enhance its product portfolio, and expand its presence in the rapidly growing industrial robotics market.

"The investment into Mantis Robotics is another bet of Emerald on the huge potential of Physical AI,” according to Michal Natora, Senior Investment Director at Emerald. “We believe Mantis Robotics’ unique technology will revolutionize robotics and will enable never-seen-before levels of human-machine collaboration. Mantis Robotics unlocks entirely new automation use cases initially in manufacturing, in warehousing, and, soon, in virtually every other domain.

"We built our company on the premise that robots should be an extension of human capability,” according to Gerry Vannuffelen, Cofounder and CEO of Mantis Robotics." Our industry has benefited greatly from many new developments in AI-powered application software. Unfortunately, these systems do not allow for safe human-robot interaction. We provide the link between AI and the physical world by enabling robots to interact safely and capably with humans.

Traditionally, employees have had to be separated from robots for safety, making robots disruptive in any environment, according to Vannuffelen. Until recently, users were forced to choose between high-speed industrial robots that require costly deployment and safety measures and demand up to eight times more floor space than manual workstations and collaborative robots, which are easier to deploy but offer much lower productivity than humans. Neither option is ideal for businesses needing both speed and flexibility.

"We eliminate this compromise with our Mantis Robots, the first robots with Physical AI that understand the complex environment around them and make real-time, safe decisions without sacrificing productivity,” Vannuffelen says. “Our company puts people at the center of the automation universe. Our robots adjust to people, not the other way around, making them the ultimate extension of human capability.

Mantis has offices on three continents and employs people of more than 10 nationalities. The company, which was founded in 2020, moved its U.S. headquarters to Hacienda in February 2022. “The choice of location was purely strategic,” according to Vannuffelen, who notes that Hacienda provides great access to the entire Bay Area, as well as access and proximity to skilled Bay Area engineers. He adds that Mantis offers special discounts and some additional free services to local businesses who become customers.

For more information about Mantis Robotics, please visit www.mantis-robotics.com or www.linkedin.com/company/mantis-robotics.