Toposens

MEYSENS GmbH, formerly known as Toposens, develops and manufactures 3D ultrasonic sensor systems for collision avoidance in mobile robots and other autonomous systems. The company was founded in Munich in 2015 by Alexander Rudoy, Tobias Bahnemann, and Rinaldo Persichini. The idea originated from co-founder Alexander Rudoy, who began experimenting with ultrasound during his mechatronics studies. The founding team later expanded to include business administration graduate Tobias Bahnemann to handle the management aspects.

The company's core product is the ECHO ONE®, which is described as the world's first 3D ultrasonic echolocation sensor. It operates on the principle of bionic echolocation, similar to a bat, to perceive its surroundings. This technology enables robust, real-time 3D object detection, particularly for near-range applications from 20cm up to 3 meters. The system is designed to overcome the limitations of optical sensors like LiDAR and cameras, which can be negatively affected by light conditions, reflections, dust, fog, and moisture. The sensors can reliably detect complex, transparent, and low-to-the-ground objects, such as forklift forks, which are challenging for other systems.

MEYSENS's business model is B2B, targeting clients in the robotics and automotive industries. The technology is applied in Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs), mobile robots, and for autonomous driving applications like valet parking. The company provides an industrial-grade development kit, the ECHO ONE DK, which includes the sensor, a processing unit (TPU), and software packages like a C++ library and ROS implementation for easier integration. The system allows for the configuration of adjustable 3D warning and stop zones to prevent collisions, thereby reducing damage costs and increasing operational safety in industrial environments. The company has received funding from various investors, including ALPANA Ventures, Basinghall Partners, and In-Q-Tel, and has participated in accelerators like German Accelerator and Startup Autobahn.

Keywords: 3D ultrasonic sensor, echolocation technology, collision avoidance, mobile robotics, autonomous systems, AGV safety, non-optical vision, real-time 3D data, machine vision, near-range sensing, autonomous navigation, object detection, harsh environments, industrial automation, robotics sensors, forklift detection, automotive sensors, smart buildings, IoT sensors, sensor fusion, embedded systems