Oversonic Robotics has chosen the former Maserati industrial complex in Grugliasco, on the outskirts of Turin, to start mass production of RoBee, a cognitive humanoid robot designed in Italy. Up to two meters tall and weighing up to 120 kilograms, the RoBee features 39 degrees of joint freedom, omnidirectional wheels, and can handle objects up to 5 kilograms. Autonomy is guaranteed by a battery that allows eight hours of operation, rechargeable via induction.
The robot integrates two computing units, computer vision, artificial intelligence and voice recognition systems. It is able to learn new tasks, interact naturally with human operators and collaborate in interconnected robotic groups via the cloud. Its use is designed for production environments where automation can relieve operators of repetitive or risky tasks.
The price of a single unit is around 140,000 euros. After raising over 30 million euros in investments, Oversonic aims for an industrial production of 5,000 robots per year. The choice of Turin is based on the presence of the national hub for artificial intelligence AI4Industry, active in the Piedmontese capital with headquarters at OGR Torino, on a deep-rooted manufacturing ecosystem and on the availability of disused industrial sites, such as Mirafiori TNE, the former Fiat in Venaria and the former Maserati plant in Grugliasco.
The company reiterated that the purpose of its robot is to support and not replace human labor. In a global humanoid robotics market estimated at $160 billion by 2035, Oversonic proposes itself as an Italian alternative to major international players such as Tesla with Optimus, Boston Dynamics with Atlas and Unitree with G1.
In the same days that the Turin factory is taking shape, Oversonic has also announced a new collaboration with the University of Genoa for the creation of a new generation robotic hand, as part of the “Companion” project, coordinated by Professor Giovanni Berselli. The goal is to develop advanced anthropomorphic systems using innovative materials and low-cost production techniques, with applications also expected in the health and prosthetic fields.
