RealSense spins from Intel to scale its stereoscopic imaging technology
After 14 years of development inside the semi-sized Intel, RealSense is impressive in its own right.
RealSense We sell cameras that use Stereoscopic Imaging. This combines two images of the same object from different angles to create a depth and enhances with infrared. This technology helps machines, such as robots, drones and self-driving cars, to better recognize the physical world around them. This technology is also used for facial authentication.
“The general denominator for all of them is that they live in the real physical world,” CEO Nadab Obach told TechCrunch. “They need to understand the surroundings of 3D and based on that, they need to take action and plan in the world. That’s why they need the real-time, high-precision ability to understand their surroundings in 3D.
Orbach joined Intel in 2006 as an Israeli CPU architect. He began working on vision technology in 2011, then became general manager of incubation and disruptive innovation in 2022, before moving to San Francisco last year.
“We knew and understood that 3D perception would be greater,” Orbach said of the early days of RealSense. “To be honest, I didn’t know which domains, or in which domains. I tried it on a variety of market segments and different applications, from gesture recognition on computers, phones, to actually finding sweet spots over the years, to being found in practice, mainly in robotics.”
The company also works with many industries other than robotics. Orbach said he’d heard of it from a fish farm trying to track the volume inside the pen. Chipotle also uses RealSense camerasa partnership with AI restaurant software company Precitaste to track when food containers are low.
RealSense has over 3,000 customers and has seen an improvement in AI, which has led to a surge in new interest over the past three to four years. So, the application of robotics in particular is expanding.
The company realized that if it spuns from Intel and sources its own capital, it would likely keep up with demand, and scales itself, Orbach said.
The spin-out plan was hatched last year and received approval Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. The company is now independent and started its own by gathering a $50 million Series A funding round from Intel Capital and other strategic investors.
“For me, it was exciting to be honest,” Obach said. “I’m a veteran executive at the company, but this is the first time I’ve been on the other side of the table. As my first CEO, and raising funds, it’s been a very humble experience for me.”
RealSense aims to bring capital to the market to build teams and improve its technology. The company is particularly focused on improving technology, allowing humans and robots to improve safety during interactions and improve access controls.
“There’s a learning curve for stepping out, you know,” Obach said. “I’m very excited about it. I’m fortunate to have a very strong team with lots of people and entrepreneurial experience in my team. With my strong teammates in my background, I think we have the right mix for success.