Hokuyo Automatic Co., Ltd.

Market context

Hokuyo is a core sensing supplier for mobile robots and automation systems that need reliable environment perception.

Products

• UST-10LX Scanning Rangefinder

Facts

• Website: https://www.hokuyo-aut.co.jp/
• HQ: Osaka, Japan
• Founded: 1946
• Segment: robotics sensors
• Known funding rounds: 1

Funding

• 2023-11-15 - Additional funding - $25M - USD 25 million round expands SiLC machine-vision production - source: silc.com

Laser range sensing for mobile robots and automation

Hokuyo develops laser range sensors and LiDAR used for detection, localization and navigation in robotics and automation systems.

• Target environment: Subsea inspection, offshore operations, maritime monitoring, ports, ocean sensing and underwater data-collection workflows.
• Deployment model: Sensor component model serving robot builders, AMR developers, automation teams and integrators.
• Customer context: Mobile robot OEMs, industrial automation customers, warehouse robot teams and systems integrators.
• Workflow context: LiDAR sensing, localization, obstacle detection, navigation, industrial automation and mobile robot safety.
• Commercial maturity: Established sensor supplier with robotics relevance through navigation and safety sensing in mobile robots and automation systems.
• Market position: Sensing hardware supplier for mobile robots, AMRs and industrial automation.
• Adoption constraints: Adoption depends on sensor accuracy, reliability, range, integration support, cost and fit with navigation software.
• Adjacent context: ROVs, AUVs, subsea sensing, offshore inspection, maritime autonomy, ocean data and underwater robotics.
• Source confidence: medium

Events

• 2024-05-22 - Product Launch - Hokuyo releases YLM-10LX solid-state 3D lidar sensor - YLM-10LX uses Lumotive light-control metasurface beam-steering technology. The sensor targets industrial automation and service robotics applications. The design supports programmable fields of view, detection range and frame-rate settings.
• 2023-11-15 - Funding - USD 25 million round expands SiLC machine-vision production - New strategic participants included Hokuyo Automatic, Hankook & Company and ROHM Semiconductor. The financing brought SiLC's cumulative funding to USD 56 million. The capital was allocated to increased production and commercial growth.
• 2023-06-01 - Partnership - Hokuyo and Lumotive partner on 3D LiDAR sensing for industrial automation - Hokuyo partnered with Lumotive to develop a 3D LiDAR sensor based on Lumotive's M30 reference design. The planned product targets automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots and industrial automation. The collaboration combines Hokuyo sensing products…
• 2021-01-20 - Research Publication - UST-10LX rotating-LiDAR calibration paper evaluates indoor 3D mapping accuracy - The paper presents a low-cost calibration method for matching error between a 2D lidar and rotating motor. The prototype uses a Hokuyo UST-10LX 2D lidar and reports indoor mobile-robot 3D mapping accuracy results. This is outside-team product research and is…
• 2018-10-12 - Research Publication - UST-10LX gait-monitoring paper compares Hokuyo rangefinders in unsupervised walking tests - The paper evaluates scanning laser rangefinders for unobtrusive gait-parameter monitoring in unsupervised settings. The Hokuyo UST10-LX detects lateral steps and walks with higher sensitivity than the URG-04LX in the reported walking dataset. This is outside-…

Operations / Deployments

• 2023-11-15 - Funding - USD 25 million round expands SiLC machine-vision production - New strategic participants included Hokuyo Automatic, Hankook & Company and ROHM Semiconductor. The financing brought SiLC's cumulative funding to USD 56 million. The capital was allocated to increased production and commercial growth.

Team

• Hitoshi Ozaki - President - Ozaki leads Hokuyo Automatic, a sensor supplier used in robotics and AGV applications.

Relationships

• SiLC Technologies - Strategic Investor - Hokuyo Automatic participated in SiLC Technologies' USD 25 million financing.

Context tags

• LiDAR sensor supplier - Stack Layer
• Robotics hardware supply chain - Customer Environment
• LiDAR and laser scanner supplier - Peer Group
• AGV/AMR LiDAR navigation - Workflow