New Startup Seeks to Give Robots a Visual Edge with $107 Million in Funding
A group of former Apple engineers has launched a startup called Lyte, with the ambitious goal of developing technology that enables robots to see and navigate the world more safely. The company, which emerged from stealth earlier this month, has raised about $107 million from investors including Fidelity Management & Research, Atreides Management, Exor Ventures, Key1 Capital, VentureTech Alliance, and a group of private investors led by Israeli entrepreneur Avigdor Willenz.
Lyte's co-founder Alexander Shpunt, who played a key role in building the depth-sensing technology that powers Apple's Face ID feature, says the company is leveraging its expertise to bring this technology to the robotics market. "We are trying to take the best things that Apple taught us – on attention to detail, operational excellence and how to excite and wow the customers – in order to bring this to the robotics market," he said.
The startup's flagship product, LyteVision, uses a combination of camera, inertial motion sensing, and 4D sensors to provide robots with real-time visual data. The system collects location and visual data from these sensors and presents it as one platform, allowing robots to better understand their surroundings and react accordingly.
Shpunt believes that perception is key to creating safer robots that can navigate the world without becoming "zombie robots." Lyte's technology provides immediately actionable data, which is crucial for decision-making and enabling robots to see clearly and act safely in the physical world.
The company also aims to simplify the process of integrating sensors into robotics systems, a major challenge in the industry. By building custom silicon, optics, and software, Lyte offers a plug-and-play solution that can cut down on vendor selection and integration time.
Lyte's technology has already received recognition, including a CES Innovation award for robotics ahead of this year's consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The startup now employs about 100 people and plans to use its existing funds to invest in its core product, hire more workers, and expand its operations.
With the robotics industry projected to reach $125 billion by 2030, Lyte is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. Despite the challenges facing the industry – including battery life, mobility, and safety concerns – Shpunt believes his company will be able to show meaningful progress in the area of safety over the next three to five years.
Current customers of Lyte's technology are unknown, but the startup says its technology can be applied to various forms of robotics, from humanoids to robotaxis. As the AI robotics market continues to grow, companies like Lyte are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.
A group of former Apple engineers has launched a startup called Lyte, with the ambitious goal of developing technology that enables robots to see and navigate the world more safely. The company, which emerged from stealth earlier this month, has raised about $107 million from investors including Fidelity Management & Research, Atreides Management, Exor Ventures, Key1 Capital, VentureTech Alliance, and a group of private investors led by Israeli entrepreneur Avigdor Willenz.
Lyte's co-founder Alexander Shpunt, who played a key role in building the depth-sensing technology that powers Apple's Face ID feature, says the company is leveraging its expertise to bring this technology to the robotics market. "We are trying to take the best things that Apple taught us – on attention to detail, operational excellence and how to excite and wow the customers – in order to bring this to the robotics market," he said.
The startup's flagship product, LyteVision, uses a combination of camera, inertial motion sensing, and 4D sensors to provide robots with real-time visual data. The system collects location and visual data from these sensors and presents it as one platform, allowing robots to better understand their surroundings and react accordingly.
Shpunt believes that perception is key to creating safer robots that can navigate the world without becoming "zombie robots." Lyte's technology provides immediately actionable data, which is crucial for decision-making and enabling robots to see clearly and act safely in the physical world.
The company also aims to simplify the process of integrating sensors into robotics systems, a major challenge in the industry. By building custom silicon, optics, and software, Lyte offers a plug-and-play solution that can cut down on vendor selection and integration time.
Lyte's technology has already received recognition, including a CES Innovation award for robotics ahead of this year's consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The startup now employs about 100 people and plans to use its existing funds to invest in its core product, hire more workers, and expand its operations.
With the robotics industry projected to reach $125 billion by 2030, Lyte is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend. Despite the challenges facing the industry – including battery life, mobility, and safety concerns – Shpunt believes his company will be able to show meaningful progress in the area of safety over the next three to five years.
Current customers of Lyte's technology are unknown, but the startup says its technology can be applied to various forms of robotics, from humanoids to robotaxis. As the AI robotics market continues to grow, companies like Lyte are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.
I'm telling u, this is like, the real deal! 
They're tryin' to give robots human vision and it's gonna be HUGE 
Think about it, no more zombie robots just cruisin' around willy-nilly... that's just a recipe for disaster 
. Lyte's tech is like, game-changer, bro. 
I mean, 4D sensors? Camera? Inertial motion sensing? That's like, top-secret stuff right there 
. And it's not just about safety, it's about simplifying the whole robotics thing... plug-and-play solutions? That's like, genius-level tech 
. The $107 million funding is just the tip of the iceberg... I bet they're cookin' up some more surprises 
. This industry is gonna be HUGE by 2030 and Lyte is right in the thick of it 
robots need to see where they're going and not bump into things all the time that makes total sense right? 
i feel like lyte is onto something with their tech its gonna be super helpful for making robots safer and more efficient. the fact that they're leveraging apple's expertise on face id is a big plus 
can't wait to see how it all plays out in the next few years 
.
. Alexander Shpunt is really onto something with his vision for perception being key to creating safer robots 
. I'm curious to see how far they'll take it and what kind of impact they'll have on the future of robotics & AI 
!
. They're working on making robots see better, which is a big deal for safety reasons 
. It's like having a virtual GPS system for robots, but way more advanced 
. The robotics industry is growing fast and companies like Lyte will be key players in the future of AI and robotics 
. I think he's onto something there. If we can make robots see more clearly, we can reduce the risk of accidents and make them more useful for people 
.
107 million dollars is a crazy amount of funding, but if it means we get safer robots 
and his team is on the right track by focusing on perception and making integration easier. I'd love to see more updates on their progress 
with lytevision using cameras & sensors to give robots real-time data 
. And with AI robotics market growing fast, I'd expect big things from this startup in the next few years 
.
, it'll definitely simplify things for manufacturers. also, safety is such an important aspect in robotics right now 
.
The fact that they've already received a CES Innovation award and are hiring more people shows they're on the right track.
they can see their own suckers (i mean feet) on the ground lol but seriously its gonna be huge 
just think about all the industries thats gonna get benefitted from this tech from healthcare to manufacturing its gonna be huge 
. anyhoo, i got nothin but love for startups like lyte, bringin the innovation and makin us smarter 
. its about time we get robots that can navigate without crashin into things 
its like they're gonna be everywhere next, no privacy for anyone. I mean think about it, you walk down the street and there's these tiny little cameras watching you all day every day 
. I mean, have you seen the size of those robots lately? They're already walking around like they own the place... and don't even get me started on their battery life 
. It's all about the money and market trends, folks 
this is so cool lyte's tech is literally game changing for robots 
the fact that they've already gotten a ces innovation award is awesome 
. I mean, the future of robotics is gonna be all about AI and safety, and Lyte seems like a solid player in that space