PARIS Innovation Lab, a network of technology providers in the fields of Industry 4.0, digital transformation and process optimisation, is partnering with start-up Toposens, developer of the world’s first 3D ultrasound sensor. The new strategic partnership aims to develop cognitive solutions for improved business, learning and work processes within organisations.
Toposens specialises in mapping surroundings by means of its patented 3D ultrasound sensor system. The system can map people and objects and even gestures, thanks to high-frequency sound signals – similar to the echolocation method used by bats. The main advantages towards traditional camera-based methods are the anonymity of the ‘mapped’ people and the robustness of the system compared with sensitive lenses, which only work in certain light conditions.
PARIS AG develops technologies for process navigation and optimisation, automation, documentation and training. Its main focus is on digital knowledge transfer using artificial intelligence. The company’s portfolio includes the PARIS Automation Suite, an automation platform that uses bots to offer employees process-integrated support.
The joint solutions planned by Toposens and PARIS can be used in a wide range of applications. For instance, the 3D sensors from Toposens could recognise certain gestures or movements on a production line, while a bot from PARIS AG could identify process weak points and suggest and guide improvements, leading to more efficient business processes, more transparent automation potential and lower in-house costs.
3D ultrasound sensors meet automation solutions
The partnership will open up new markets for Toposens. The company currently offers its 3D ultrasound sensors as an evaluation kit. “A range of different industries have shown an interest in the sensor system, especially the automotive, consumer electronics and people-tracking sectors,” explains Tobias Bahnemann, Managing Director of Toposens. “With our evaluation kit, interested companies get the chance to test the sensors and get a feel for the innovative technology.” Toposens has entered into the partnership with PARIS in order to strengthen its activities in the areas of smart buildings and smart factories. “There are synergies,” Tobias Bahnemann says, “such as combining people tracking with intelligent training and support systems, or using the sensors for automatic heating, lighting and ventilation controls.”
“Our innovation partnership with Toposens allows us to design novel knowledge-management and automation solutions,” says Sebastian Grodzietzki, Chief Growth Officer of PARIS AG, who is responsible for the company’s product vision, marketing and PARIS Innovation Lab. “When it comes to executing service and production processes in particular, the bridge between best practice and a company’s actual situation often presents a considerable problem. Improving processes and integrating them with talent management solutions also poses a challenge. Here, digital transformation offers huge advantages, for instance, in terms of preparing and communicating relevant knowledge – which can sometimes change quickly over time – and creating smart, uncomplicated interfaces to IT processes and systems. In future it will be possible to communicate required training materials and recommended courses of action in real time, as an integral component of the work process, leading to direct efficiency gains.”
Sebastian Grodzietzki adds: “The transition to smart processes – to workflows that record metadata or context about themselves, share it with people or other systems and have the ability to improve themselves – will be a significant aspect of our partnership. We will enhance our complementary solutions – from software to hardware and cognitive brainware – to create solution systems for specific industries that are easy to integrate, enabling our customers to benefit from the advantages of digital transformation as soon as possible.”
Toposens GmbH at a glance:
Toposens developed the world’s first 3D ultrasound sensor. Based on the echolocation principle used by bats, the sensor can determine the 3D positions of objects and people in real time. Its areas of use range from autonomous driving (short-range collision avoidance for cars and robots) to gesture recognition for controlling consumer electronic devices (e.g. televisions and smartphones) and people tracking (automatic light and heating controls for buildings, analysing customer flow in retail stores). The advantages of the 3D ultrasound sensor are its small dimensions, low energy consumption, robustness and privacy protection (people are not identified). Toposens GmbH was established in 2014 in Munich.
Toposens specialises in mapping surroundings by means of its patented 3D ultrasound sensor system. The system can map people and objects and even gestures, thanks to high-frequency sound signals – similar to the echolocation method used by bats. The main advantages towards traditional camera-based methods are the anonymity of the ‘mapped’ people and the robustness of the system compared with sensitive lenses, which only work in certain light conditions.
PARIS AG develops technologies for process navigation and optimisation, automation, documentation and training. Its main focus is on digital knowledge transfer using artificial intelligence. The company’s portfolio includes the PARIS Automation Suite, an automation platform that uses bots to offer employees process-integrated support.
The joint solutions planned by Toposens and PARIS can be used in a wide range of applications. For instance, the 3D sensors from Toposens could recognise certain gestures or movements on a production line, while a bot from PARIS AG could identify process weak points and suggest and guide improvements, leading to more efficient business processes, more transparent automation potential and lower in-house costs.
3D ultrasound sensors meet automation solutions
The partnership will open up new markets for Toposens. The company currently offers its 3D ultrasound sensors as an evaluation kit. “A range of different industries have shown an interest in the sensor system, especially the automotive, consumer electronics and people-tracking sectors,” explains Tobias Bahnemann, Managing Director of Toposens. “With our evaluation kit, interested companies get the chance to test the sensors and get a feel for the innovative technology.” Toposens has entered into the partnership with PARIS in order to strengthen its activities in the areas of smart buildings and smart factories. “There are synergies,” Tobias Bahnemann says, “such as combining people tracking with intelligent training and support systems, or using the sensors for automatic heating, lighting and ventilation controls.”
“Our innovation partnership with Toposens allows us to design novel knowledge-management and automation solutions,” says Sebastian Grodzietzki, Chief Growth Officer of PARIS AG, who is responsible for the company’s product vision, marketing and PARIS Innovation Lab. “When it comes to executing service and production processes in particular, the bridge between best practice and a company’s actual situation often presents a considerable problem. Improving processes and integrating them with talent management solutions also poses a challenge. Here, digital transformation offers huge advantages, for instance, in terms of preparing and communicating relevant knowledge – which can sometimes change quickly over time – and creating smart, uncomplicated interfaces to IT processes and systems. In future it will be possible to communicate required training materials and recommended courses of action in real time, as an integral component of the work process, leading to direct efficiency gains.”
Sebastian Grodzietzki adds: “The transition to smart processes – to workflows that record metadata or context about themselves, share it with people or other systems and have the ability to improve themselves – will be a significant aspect of our partnership. We will enhance our complementary solutions – from software to hardware and cognitive brainware – to create solution systems for specific industries that are easy to integrate, enabling our customers to benefit from the advantages of digital transformation as soon as possible.”
Toposens GmbH at a glance:
Toposens developed the world’s first 3D ultrasound sensor. Based on the echolocation principle used by bats, the sensor can determine the 3D positions of objects and people in real time. Its areas of use range from autonomous driving (short-range collision avoidance for cars and robots) to gesture recognition for controlling consumer electronic devices (e.g. televisions and smartphones) and people tracking (automatic light and heating controls for buildings, analysing customer flow in retail stores). The advantages of the 3D ultrasound sensor are its small dimensions, low energy consumption, robustness and privacy protection (people are not identified). Toposens GmbH was established in 2014 in Munich.
