Robotics company Contactile says new grant will help it get a grip globally

Sydney-based robotics company Contactile has been awarded a Commercialisation and Growth grant under the federal government’s Industry Growth Program.

According to a statement from the company on Wednesday, the recent grant will support commercialisation of “a next-generation robotic gripping system that endows robots with a human sense of touch”, launching the gripper into Australian, European, and US markets..

Contactile came out of UNSW Sydney research by co-founders Dr Heba Khamis, CTO Ben Xia, and Dr Stephen Redmond, and was established in 2019. (Redmond is currently an Associate Professor at University College Dublin.)  

The size of the grant was not mentioned in the statement from Contactile or – at the time of writing – on a list of successful applicants through the program. (Commercialisation and Growth grants provide matched funding of between $100,000 and $5 million to recipients.)

“It empowers us to scale our technology into a commercial product that will plug directly into existing automation systems and solve real problems across industries like delicately handling ripe fruit in agriculture and food processing, or packing fragile electronics manufacturing, but also in warehousing, health, and even space,” said Khamis, the company’s CEO. 

“The full commercial launch of Contactile’s smart robotic gripper into international markets makes it the first plug-and-play tactile-enabled gripper of its kind globally and demonstrates technological maturity, regulatory readiness, and global market scalability—all key indicators of a high-impact, investment-ready innovation.”

According to Contactile, the completed project will involve outcomes including “international certifications, third-party software integrations with major robot platforms, and direct engagement with global automation providers.” 

Contactile was announced as one of Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers last month, as well as in 2024.

Picture: credit Contactile

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