GelSight Brings AI to Physical Touch with GelSight Mobile™ 3.2 Software Update

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New features revolutionize metrology and inspection processes with non-dimensional AI inspection

WALTHAM, Mass.– March 2, 2023 – GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, today announced the release of its GelSight Mobile™ 3.2 software package, bringing significant new capabilities to GelSight Mobile systems. GelSight Mobile 3.2 digitizes tactile sensing for many new applications with an innovative set of new features that bring outdated, manual processes into the digital age.

GelSight Mobile 3.2 takes the capabilities of the portable GelSight Mobile systems beyond quantitative metrology by enabling non-dimensional inspection and measurement with a first-of-its-kind tactile artificial intelligence toolbox. This new software also features Operator Mode, which streamlines the user interface and allows for the customization of analysis features. Additionally, for line workers who need to continually improve productivity, GelSight has made substantial structural improvements to the core analysis algorithm, reducing analysis compute time by 2-10x in batch mode analysis routines compared to GelSight Mobile 3.0. Furthermore, GelSight Mobile 3.2 adds surface roughness analysis, a feature that is a game changer in the world of portable surface metrology and texture understanding.

Billions of manual tactile interactions occur every day. With this software release, GelSight is enabling the digitization of many of these previously manual, qualitative measurements performed with the inspector’s eye or fingernail. Millions of Industry 1.0 inspections have resisted quantification, but now with GelSight Mobile 3.2, these inspections are advancing to Industry 4.0, with major benefits to production quality and velocity. For the first time, using artificial intelligence, engineers can train the Gelsight Mobile system to replicate assessments that previously required touching and feeling a surface, enabling them to digitally quantify these assessments in a repeatable, user agnostic process. For example, GelSight Mobile 3.2 users can now digitally characterize the texture of polished metals on consumer products or dashboards in a car, thanks to this new software release pairing tactile sensing and AI for the first time.

“About 3 million inspectors work on production and maintenance lines performing manual touch inspections every day to make critical decisions about whether a plane is fit to fly, or an automotive part meets quality standards to keep drivers safe,” said Dennis Lang, Chief Business Officer at GelSight. “Together with the new AI platform, GelSight Mobile’s superhuman touch sensor with micron-level resolution is helping to automate and standardize these processes, mitigating human error in these crucial situations.”

Key features of the GelSight 3.2 software update include:

  • AI Toolbox for Non-Dimensional Measurement – Users of GelSight Mobile 3.2’s AI Toolbox can create their own AI models to apply touch sensing to many tasks which previously had no simple path to digitization. The AI Toolbox supports three types of tasks: classification, detection, and segmentation. Each type of task has various applications, such as quality grading of the materials of an automotive interior, which is a classification problem, corrosion detection, which is a detection problem, and scratch recognition, which can be treated as a segmentation problem.
  • Operator Mode – Allows any user to access GelSight Mobile’s capabilities with a streamlined user interface that gives customers the ability to customize routines and select pass/fail criteria. Operator Mode is password protected and simplifies repeated measurement in a clean and structured way with preset configurations.
  • Surface Roughness Analysis – GelSight Mobile systems natively capture area data within milliseconds. Adding surface roughness, an area measurement, is a natural extension of the GelSight solution portfolio. With GelSight Mobile 3.2, surface roughness analysis is now available in addition to the previously released profile roughness capabilities. With the click of a button, customers can now perform repeated digital Sa and Ra measurements, revolutionizing the way roughness measurements are currently done.

“In everyday life, humans rely on their sense of touch when their vision fails or is not enough to gather the information that they need from any given situation,” said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO at GelSight. “GelSight Mobile 3.2 is digitizing the fingertip – what people can feel – to streamline traditionally manual processes for metrologists and inspectors, and provide them with data-driven insights that allow them to make more informed decisions.”

GelSight Mobile 3.2 is now available, request more information by contacting info@gelsight.com. To learn more about GelSight Mobile, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/solutions/surface-metrology-mobile/.

About GelSight 

GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visit https://gelsight.com/.

Media Contacts

Brandon Reid for GelSight
bwr@anzupartners.com

Kalyn Kolek for GelSight
kos@anzupartners.com

gelsightmini

Introducing the GelSight Mini: A Human Resolution Tactile Sensor for Engineers and Scientists

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GelSight Mini enables an enhanced AI-enabled tactile experience for users in just five minutes out of the box

WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, today announced the release of its new AI-powered 3D tactile sensor, GelSight Mini. For the first time, GelSight Mini offers superhuman touch resolution to the commercial market, with a compact form factor comfortable for human hands and robust enough for use by robots and cobots. GelSight Mini also provides the fastest artificial intelligence tactile experience on the market, taking just five minutes to deliver sharable results out of the box.

GelSight Mini is the only human-scale resolution tactile sensor with digital 2D and 3D mapping available to roboticists and broadens sensor capabilities compared to other similar products on the market. The sensor exceeds the spatial resolution of human touch, quickly providing researchers with optimized images of material surfaces that are useful across a broad set of industries.

Roboticists performing industrial-style 2-finger gripper and bionic hand research and development now have access to industry-first capabilities with GelSight Mini. Robot Operating System (ROS) compatibility, frame grabbers, and Python scripts are provided to allow users to quickly begin unique AI and computer vision tasks, including the direct creation of digital twins of items to be picked using the sensor. The compact and robust design of Gelsight Mini also allows easy integration into existing robotics systems, along with GelSight provided 3D CAD files of adapters for integration with commonly used robot systems. Additionally, since research and development environments favor fast failure and iteration, the GelSight Mini is designed to allow fast, toolless gel changes, while maintaining positive locking for retention of the gel in the case.

“GelSight Mini is a first-of-its-kind, affordable, and compact tactile sensor with an easy, plug-and-play set up that lets users get to work within five minutes of taking the device out of the box,” said Dennis Lang, vice president of product at GelSight. “We believe that GelSight Mini will reduce the barrier of entry into robotics and touch-based scanning for corporate research and development, academics, and hobbyists, while opening doors to new terrain, such as the Metaverse.”

GelSight’s tactile intelligence technology digitizes touch with human-like sensitivity and high-resolution. Data captured by GelSight’s elastomeric tactile sensing platform leverages ROS, PyTouch, and Python allowing users to create detailed, accurate surface characterizations directly compatible with familiar industry standard software environments. Together with this technology, the GelSight Mini improves processes across robotics, industrial prototyping, AI and touch research, and more, enabling more rapid, well-documented surface measurement and imaging in high-resolution.

The GelSight Mini is now available to purchase for $499 at https://www.gelsight.com/online-store/ and from DigiKey here. To learn more about product demos or purchasing the GelSight Mini, please email mini@gelsight.com or visit http://www.gelsight.com/gelsightmini.

About GelSight

GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visit https://gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media
Kalyn Kolek for GelSight
kos@anzupartners.com

Brandon Reid for GelSight
bwr@anzupartners.com

GelSight Streamlines Inspection Workflows and Expands Analysis Capabilities in GelSight Mobile™ 2.4 Software Release

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GelSight Mobile™ 2.4 enables new applications such as shot peening and corrosion inspection, while improving overall system performance

WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, today announced the release of GelSight Mobile™ 2.4. This software update for GelSight’s handheld mobile devices provides new features such as shot peen measurement and enhanced pit detection, and expands applications of GelSight Mobile in quality inspection, production line metrology, and maintenance and repair operations (MRO) workflows.

With GelSight Mobile™ 2.4, users have access to new surface analysis capabilities and improved functionality that will streamline inspection workflows. Key features in GelSight Mobile 2.4 include:

  • Shot Peen Measurement: Evaluate the depth and coverage of shot peening to determine whether parts have been sufficiently treated to achieve the desired level of strength.
  • Enhanced Pit Detection: Based on input from customers using pit detection for corrosion inspection, users can now set minimum and maximum pit depths and diameters enhancing the capabilities of GelSight’s pit detection algorithm.
  • Snap to Lines and Features: When analyzing images, easily select features of interest, simplifying set up and making analysis faster.
  • Offset Tool with Beta Artificial Intelligence: The new AI module learns from the users’ behavior and observes repetitive workflows to suggest automated settings that can help improve productivity.

To request the 2.4 software update, existing GelSight Mobile users should complete this form or contact GelSight here. All shipments of GelSight Mobile Series 2 after June 1, 2022 will have the new update and include autofocus to assure measurement consistency during use. Additionally, all purchases of a GelSight Mobile Series 2 and tablet bundle will be factory calibrated with optimized shutter speed, creating an enhanced out-of-box experience ready for immediate use.

“After launching GelSight Mobile Series 2 late last year, we’ve continued to improve the capabilities of our system through software enhancements as we work with customers to identify new use cases for our tactile sensing technology,” said Dennis Lang, vice president of product at GelSight. “The new features in GelSight Mobile 2.4 will allow us to further penetrate industries such as aerospace and automotive, and to expand into new sectors such as military, power generation, oil and gas, and precision manufacturing, where shot peen process control and detection of pit defects are critical processes.”

GelSight’s technology enables digital tactile sensing with the sensitivity and resolution of human touch. Data captured by GelSight’s elastomeric tactile sensing platform leverages proprietary software and algorithms to provide detailed, accurate surface characterization that can generate significant gains in productivity both on the production floor and in the field while also reducing the costs associated with manual or tool-based visual inspection. The handheld GelSight Mobile device can be deployed on production and assembly lines to enable rapid and well-documented quality assurance decisions. Dimensions of scratches, dents, hits, gaps, offset, texture, hole diameter, fastener flushness and more can be measured in high-resolution, on any surface, under any lighting conditions, in seconds.

GelSight will be providing product demos, including the new GelSight Mobile 2.4 software package, at the Space Tech Expo on May 24-25, 2022 in Long Beach, California. To schedule a meeting and demo, please reach out to sales@gelsight.com.

To learn more about demo evaluations or purchasing the GelSight Mobile, please email info@gelsight.com or visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight 
GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media Contact 
Kalyn Kolek for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com

GelSight Expands Global Reach in Target Markets Through New Distribution Partnerships

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GelSight will grow its presence in ten countries across Europe and Asia through four new distribution agreements

WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, today announced that it has signed agreements with four new distribution partners to extend its reach and increase brand awareness in new geographies across Europe and Asia. The new distribution partners include Everest Polska, RMI s.r.o, Altair Consulting SA, and E2-Holdings Pte. Ltd.

  • Everest Polska – Everest Polska has been responsible for the distribution and service of visual research equipment in Poland and the Baltic States for over 15 years. The company will manage GelSight distribution across Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Hungary.
  • RMI s.r.o – RMI supplies scientific, analytical, and testing instruments, including equipment for 2D/3D imaging (optical, X-Ray, physical properties). The company will manage GelSight distribution across Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary.
  • Altair Consulting SA – Altair Consulting is at the heart of precision mechanics and the demand for surface quality in the world of 3D printing. The company will manage distribution for GelSight in Switzerland and France.
  • E-2 Holdings Pte. Ltd. – E-2 is the appointed online retailer for 2DM high performance graphene and authorized reseller for various high tech measurement instrument brands. The company will manage distribution for GelSight in Singapore.

“We have been following GelSight’s technology since 2019, and once the company launched its second-generation instrument, the GelSight Mobile Series 2 last year, we were excited to sign on as a distributor in Europe,” said Tomas Cernohorsky, CEO of RMI, s.r.o. “We believe that this technology is opening new opportunities for us and our customers within industry, forensic, and research laboratories. GelSight perfectly fills the gap in the portfolio of instruments we offer to the market in Czech, Slovak, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia.”

The handheld GelSight Mobile device can provide detailed, accurate surface characterization that can generate significant gains in productivity both on the production floor and in the field. The company’s tactile sensing technology has proven to enable rapid and well documented quality assurance decisions across automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, additive manufacturing, and precision manufacturing. These new distribution partners will help increase GelSight’s footprint and access in countries that play a significant role in the worldwide supply chain for these target industries.

“We are excited to work closely with our new partners to bring the power of tactile sensing and intelligence to new customers and increase our brand recognition in key geographies,” said Thierry Mantel, Chief Business Officer, GelSight. “These partnerships also help generate new market opportunities such as precision machining and give us access to an extended part of the value chain within our core industries.”

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight 
GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media 
Kalyn Kolek for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com

GelSight Expands its Board of Directors to Guide Transformation into Tactile Intelligence Platform Company

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WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, today announced that it has appointed experienced technology and business leaders Rony Abovitz and Elliot Katzman to its Board of Directors to help develop the company’s AI-driven tactile sensing platform, advise on strategic direction, and continue expansion into new markets.

Rony Abovitz is a technology pioneer, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor. He co-founded robotics and haptics pioneer MAKO Surgical (acquired by Stryker for $1.65b) and founded Magic Leap, the leading technology innovator in spatial computing/XR. He is also a senior advisor at the Boston Consulting Group, supporting growth tech as well as large companies across healthcare, innovation, AI, and overall strategy/tech disruption.

“GelSight’s proprietary technology has the potential to lead a major revolution in AI, where the digital and physical worlds merge and connect through tactile intelligence,” said Rony Abovitz. “I am very impressed by the incredible, superhuman sensitivity of the GelSight sensing technology – and how this leads to new and important pathways for AI.”

Elliot Katzman has over 35 years of experience as a board member, venture investor, and senior technology executive, and has helped build some of New England’s most successful technology companies, such as Solidworks (Dassault Systems), Onshape (PTC), Acacia Communications (IPO), Atria Software (IPO – IBM / Rational), Echo Nest (Spotify), Seniorlink, Vela Systems (Autodesk), and many other successful companies. He also currently serves on the board of Paperless Parts.

“This is an exciting time for GelSight following several major milestone events such as the partnership with Meta AI and I look forward to helping further that momentum,” said Elliot Katzman. “I am eager to work alongside the leadership team and board to help build a market leading tactile intelligence business.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Rony Abovitz and Elliot Katzman to the GelSight Board and leverage their global business development and leadership expertise to refine our corporate strategy as we push the boundaries of tactile intelligence,” said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO, GelSight. “Rony’s vision for the potential of tactile sensing and AI, along with Elliot’s deep experience in company building will be instrumental in building our platform to digitize touch, the next critical phase of machine intelligence.”

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight

GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visithttps://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Kalyn Schieffer for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com

Beyond Imagination and GelSight Announce Pilot to Pair State-of-the-art Tactile Sensing With Cutting-edge Telepresence Robotics

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Beyond Imagination, an AI and robotics platform company developing humanoid robots, and GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology have initiated a pilot to study the feasibility of using Beyond Imagination’s humanoid robotic technology to remotely operate GelSight’s tactile sensors.

The robots, called “Beomni,” are up to 6’ tall, wireless, humanoid robots that are remotely controlled in real time from any commercially available virtual reality platform. Both companies believe that this pairing could eliminate cost and increase functionality in many applications where GelSight’s technology is used today, including manufacturing, quality assurance, and robotics.

For the pilot, the robots will use a GelSight tactile sensor for hands-free control. The robotic sensors can be remotely configured to provide detailed surface analytics and feedback to the remote user piloting the robot. In future systems, GelSight’s unique tactile sensors can be integrated into the robot to provide real-time tactile data for remote sensing and dexterous manipulation.

“Many customers have approached us with tactile sensing and measurement applications that would benefit from tele-operation,” said Kimo Johnson, Chief Science Officer & Co-Founder of GelSight. “We see this as a great opportunity to explore next generation tactile robotic integrations.”

“We are thrilled to be chosen to pilot GelSight’s innovative tactile sensors with our robotic platform,” said Dr. Harry Kloor, CEO and founder of Beyond Imagination. “We have always known our platform could increase efficiencies and productivity for organizations looking to remotely operate their tools or services without creating specialized roboticized products.”

“The Beyond Imagination BEOMNI platform was the first time we have seen a humanoid robot use a GelSight tool,” Johnson continued. “This capability would expedite the deployment of GelSight systems into environments that are too dangerous or costly to send trained operators. The ability of an expert user to be instantly on-site, anywhere in the world with visual, auditory and tactile information available to them is game-changing for many of our customers.”

About Beyond Imagination

Beyond Imagination, Inc. is a robotics and AI platform company that is focused on bringing humanoid robots to market rapidly. By partnering a human pilot with an evolving AI Brain, we will soon be able to deploy our Beomni Robotics platform across a wide range of commercial applications. Our practical, real-world approach is closer to that of Tesla, which released its vehicles and then built AI from the data that they collected, rather than that of other companies that are focused on narrow R&D domains.

Founded by leading innovators in AI and robotics, and strengthened by a solid patent portfolio, Beyond Imagination, Inc. is poised to revolutionize life and fundamentally change the way we work, travel and engage with others around the world.

Beyond Imagination is actively seeking busines partners and investors for its Seed 2 round. Details will be provided to qualified investors upon request. In-person demos are available by appointment for media and investors. Beyond Imagination is also seeking additional partners for pilot studies in medicine and beyond.

For more information, contact info@beomni.ai or visit www.beomni.ai

About GelSight

GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel.

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/

Contacts

Melissa Showen for Beyond Imagination 
Melissa.showen@beomni.ai

Kalyn Schieffer for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com

GelSight Blazes Forward with Several Award Wins Recognizing its Innovations in Tactile Intelligence

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WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile intelligence technology, announced today that it has been selected as a winner in Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech 2021 in the Smart Machines category, a 2021 BostInno on Firehonoree in the Robotics category, and the winner of the 2021 Eddie Award in the Technology & AI category. All three awards honor GelSight for its breakthroughs in tactile intelligence and demonstrate the company’s strong momentum and growth over the last year.

The Fast Company Next Big Thing in Tech Awards recognize technology breakthroughs that promise to define the future of industries. Alongside 11 other companies, GelSight was chosen as a winner in the Smart Machines category for helping to give robots a sense of touch and enabling the machines we rely on every day to “feel” the world around them using its proprietary combination of cameras and soft tactile sensors.

BostInno on Fire honors 50 of the most impressive innovators in the Greater Boston region each year for raising money, growing their firms, bringing in new customers, launching new products and boosting Boston’s ecosystem. GelSight earned its spot on the list thanks to new fundraising this year and announcing its partnership with Meta AI to manufacture the DIGIT tactile sensor.

Similarly, the Massachusetts Innovation Network’s Eddie Awards are dedicated to recognizing, nurturing, and fueling local innovation, and this year’s winners were selected from a pool of 119 startups across 8 categories following an 8-month long season, live pitch competition, and exhibition of the technologies. GelSight’s elastomeric platform won the Technology & AI category for its ability to capture 3D images that can then be interpreted using artificial intelligence.

“Thanks to the incredible work of the entire GelSight team, we have the honor of accepting these three prestigious and competitive awards,” said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO at GelSight. “We’re excited to see that organizations like Fast Company, BostInno, and the Massachusetts Innovation Network that work with companies at the forefront of innovation recognize the ways that tactile imaging, sensing, and intelligence can revolutionize industries such as robotics, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and more.”

These accolades come on the heels of GelSight announcing a new partnership with Meta AI to commercially manufacture the DIGITtactile sensor, which will help digitize the sense of touch and expand the field of tactile sensing research. GelSight also recently launched its GelSight Mobile™ series 2, which offers a sleek form-factor that is one-third lighter and less than half the volume of its predecessor, enabling users to scan surfaces in tighter spaces and make more intelligent, informed decisions, while maintaining accuracy, speed, and field of view. For more details and to purchase DIGIT or GelSight Mobile™, please visithttps://www.gelsight.com/online-store/.

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight

GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile intelligence. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visithttps://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media 
Brandon Reid for GelSight 
bwr@anzupartners.com

Massachusetts Innovation Network Announces the 2021 Eddies Winners

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LINCOLN, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Massachusetts Innovation Network celebrated the wrap-up of its 2021 Innovation Season last night at the NorthStar Campus in Lincoln, MA. The 8-month long season started with 119 startup teams representing 8 Innovation Tracks; 23 teams advanced to the final, live phase of the competition (October 6) which included final pitches and exhibit of the technologies. Through the program the teams received individualized mentorship, specifically-designed mentorship modules to address their needs, and hands-on support to thrust them forward towards their commercialization and scaling journey. The season culminated with an exciting Evening of Innovation, during which 11 companies were honored with The Eddie (formerly New England Innovation Award).

The ceremony featured a keynote address by Aron Ain, CEO of UKG. Aron has built a company where everyone loves to work, where employees feel truly cared for, respected and energized.

Author of the award-winning book “WorkInspired: How to Build an Organization Where Everyone Loves to Work”, Mr. Ain shared some surprising simple rules on how to achieve success by focusing on your greatest asset – your people. He also presented the 2021 Robert J. Crowley Eddie Award and signed his book for all the finalist teams.

The 2021 Eddies Winners are:

Biotech: Ichosia Biotechnology 
Cleantech & Sustainability: Evergreens 
Healthy Living: PlenOptika 
Medical Devices: Dynocardia 
Minority-Owned: ShikiWrap 
Robotics: TargetArm 
Smart Living & IoT: RaySecur 
Technology & AI: GelSight 
Social Impact: We Are America Project and Student Clinic for Immigrant Justice

The cross-category, Robert J. Crowley Eddie Award, which honors the individual or team that embodies the values of breakthrough thinking, passion to improve lives and unwavering commitment to the spirit of advancement was bestowed to Dr. Jon Bloom and his team at Podimetrics.

We extend our Warmest Congratulations and Best Wishes for continued success to all our startups, finalists and winners , and look forward to sharing their stories, successes and achievements in the years to come!

Contacts

Sophia Kambanis 
SKambanis@NewEnglandInnovation.org

GelSight Partners with Meta AI to Democratize Digital Tactile Sensing

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WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile imaging and sensing technology, today announced a partnership with Meta AI to commercially manufacture the DIGIT tactile sensor and expand the field of tactile sensing research.

DIGIT is a reliable, low-cost, compact, high-resolution tactile sensor designed for robotic in-hand manipulation designed and open-sourced in 2020 by Meta (then Facebook) AI researchers to enable AI and robotics researchers to work with touch. GelSight will manufacture and sell DIGIT as part of the company’s offering of digital tactile sensors, making this sensor even more accessible to the global research community.

While other human senses such as sight and hearing have already been replicated in robotic applications, touch is the next sense that will be digitized to enable robots to perform tasks they were previously unable to do. GelSight develops and sells technology for digital tactile sensing with the sensitivity and resolution of human touch. The company offers unique elastomeric and imaging-based tactile sensing technology that also enables robotic engineers to develop solutions for complex object manipulation and many other dexterous tasks.

Digitizing touch will enable not only new applications in robotics, but in industrial applications that require surface and texture understanding. This includes robotic inspection for quality assurance, material properties identification, manufacturing, and assembly process efficiency, and much more.

“GelSight and the Meta AI research team share the same vision around making tactile sensing technology more accessible,” said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO of GelSight. “Our technology and this partnership will help generate new applications for robotics as engineers, hobbyists and researchers will have access to a small form factor, imaging-based technology at a more accessible price point than ever before.”

“Since we first open-sourced DIGIT last year, it’s been exciting to see researchers use the sensor in their work,” said Roberto Calandra, Meta AI research scientist. “GelSight making DIGIT commercially available will help make touch readily accessible to many more researchers and practitioners, and we hope that it will accelerate further progress advancing AI and robotics.”

DIGIT is available now. For more details and to purchase, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/online-store/.

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight 
GelSight is a pioneer in digital, imaging-based tactile sensing. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface characterization, enabling several surface measurement applications and robotic sensing capabilities. Its elastomeric 3D imaging systems are currently in use in aerospace, automotive, forensics and in many robotic research labs throughout the world. GelSight is Digital Touch and Feel. For more information, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media 
Kalyn Schieffer for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com

GelSight Unveils Sleek Next Generation Mobile 3D Measurement Device to Expand into New Industries

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WALTHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GelSight, a pioneer in tactile imaging and sensing technology, today introduced the latest version of its GelSight Mobile™ probe, the Series 2. This new generation of GelSight’s mobile device offers a sleek form-factor that is one-third lighter and less than half the volume of its predecessor, allowing it to scan surfaces in tighter spaces, while maintaining accuracy, speed, and field of view.

GelSight’s technology enables digital tactile sensing with the sensitivity and resolution of human touch. Data captured by GelSight’s elastomeric tactile sensing platform leverages proprietary software and algorithms to provide detailed, accurate surface characterization that can generate significant gains in productivity both on the production floor and in the field while also reducing the costs associated with manual or tool-based visual inspection. The handheld GelSight Mobile device can be deployed on production and assembly lines to enable rapid and well documented quality assurance decisions. Dimensions of scratches, dents, hits, gaps, offset, hole diameter, and fastener flushness can be measured in high-resolution, on any surface, in seconds.

The Series 2 head size has been minimized, so it can be utilized across a wider variety of applications. This is especially critical in the automotive and aerospace industries where it can provide rapid, repeatable, non-destructive testing for manufacturing and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of engines, fuselages, and other critical components.

The Series 2 product addresses needs in new market verticals and creates new use cases as customers experience its game-changing performance first-hand. After bringing on new CEO, Youssef Benmokhtar, in June 2021, GelSight has set its sights on industries that can benefit from fast, accurate, micron-level measurements on a wide variety of surfaces, such as the additive manufacturing and energy sectors. The company will also continue to grow its core business in automotive, aerospace, and forensics.

“We took the accuracy, speed and mobility that our customers loved about the first-generation handheld device, and incorporated that into a smaller, more user-friendly form-factor that can deliver payback value in a matter of weeks in terms of saved production time, labor costs, and scrap,” said Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO, GelSight. “The introduction of Series 2 is ushering GelSight into a new era. We are digitizing tactile sensing to unlock new opportunities for in-line and off-line quality control innovation, across industries.”

“We use the GelSight Mobile for our MRO operations, and we are delighted to now incorporate the Mobile Series 2,” said Yann Siehen of Safran Helicopter Engines. “We had the opportunity to evaluate Series 2 and have been impressed by its performance. Its compact and lightweight design will definitely increase the number of use cases and will accelerate our return on investment.”

GelSight will be demoing the new device at the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) October 12-14, 2021, in Las Vegas, NV at Booth #1224 – West Hall. To schedule a meeting and demo, please reach out to sales@gelsight.com.

The GelSight Mobile Series 2 is shipping now. To learn more about demo evaluations or purchasing, please email info@gelsight.com.

To learn more about GelSight, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

About GelSight

GelSight develops portable, non-destructive elastomeric 3D imaging systems used to improve quality control processes in aerospace, automotive and other high-value industries. The proprietary technology that was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides extremely detailed and rapid surface measurements and robotic sensing capabilities. For more information, please visit https://www.gelsight.com/.

Contacts

Media 
Kalyn Schieffer for GelSight 
kos@anzupartners.com