Robots, listen up: ADAR from Sonair wins the LogiMAT Best Product Award

The prestigious prize recognizes innovative products that make a significant contribution to rationalization, productivity, and efficiency in intralogistics. Winners are selected by an independent jury of experts from science, business, and the media, from hundreds of applications across three categories.

Sonair’s ADAR sensor introduces a new approach to machine perception in robotics and automation. Using airborne ultrasound and MEMS-based transducer arrays, ADAR enables robots to detect people and objects in true three-dimensional space, helping autonomous machines operate safely and efficiently around humans.

“We founded Sonair with the belief that autonomous machines need better spatial awareness if they are going to operate safely in the real world,” said Knut Sandven, CEO and founder of Sonair. “Receiving the LogiMAT Best Product Award is strong recognition that the industry sees the need for a new sensing layer for robotics.”

Designed for autonomous mobile robots and industrial automation systems, ADAR delivers 180° × 180° 3D spatial awareness. By enabling robots to detect obstacles and people at all heights, the technology helps increase safety by reducing blind spots, minimize unnecessary stops, and improve operational uptime in dynamic logistics environments.

As autonomous mobile robots move from pilot deployments to large-scale commercial fleets, the ability to operate safely in close proximity to people has become a defining requirement for robotics systems. At the short interaction distances where robots operate near human workers, sensing accuracy directly influences braking behavior, operational reliability, and regulatory acceptance.

The technology is now moving from development to industrial deployment. Sonair is bringing ADAR into series production, marking an important step toward broader adoption of 3D ultrasonic sensing in robotics.

At LogiMAT, the company is also scheduled to announce a commercial partnership with a leading manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots, integrating ADAR into a mass-produced robotic platform. The collaboration represents a major milestone as Sonair transitions from technology development to commercial deployment.

More than 50 robotics manufacturers, integrators, and automation companies worldwide are currently testing ADAR, including major players in the autonomous mobile robot ecosystem.

Unlike optical sensors, ultrasonic sensing is unaffected by lighting conditions and reflective surfaces, and less affected by dust. This makes the technology particularly well suited for logistics environments where robots operate continuously in complex indoor settings.

Sonair believes 3D ultrasonic sensing will become a core component of the standard sensor package for autonomous machines, complementing camera-based vision systems by providing reliable and deterministic short-range distance measurements where safety decisions are made.

Visitors to LogiMAT 2026 (Hall 8, Booth 8B01) can experience Sonair’s technology through a live demonstration of its sound-powered safety sensing system.

The award was presented in the category “Identification, Packaging and Loading Technology, Load Securing.”

‍About Sonair
Sonair develops 3D ultrasonic sensing technology for robotics and autonomous machines. The company’s patented ADAR (Acoustic Detection and Ranging) technology uses MEMS-based ultrasonic transducer arrays to detect objects and people in true three-dimensional space. Sonair’s mission is to make robot safety simple, scalable, and reliable as automation expands into human environments. The company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Read more at sonair.com

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