XENSE ROBOTICS, a company specializing in multimodal tactile perception technology, recently secured tens of millions of yuan in its angel round funding. GL Ventures (高瓴创投) led the round, with participation from Plug and Play China (璞跃中国), Jiao Tong University Hanyuan Fund (交大菡源基金), and other investors. The funds will be used for product R&D, business expansion, talent recruitment to propel the company's growth.
Founded in May 2024 and headquartered in Shanghai, XENSE ROBOTICS specializes in developing multimodal tactile perception and intelligent control technologies for fine robotic manipulation. As humanoid robot industrial layout and development accelerates, tactile perception is emerging as a critical differentiating technology for next-generation robotics systems.
Addressing the limitations of conventional tactile sensors—which detect only pressure distribution with insufficient resolution—XENSE ROBOTICS’s proprietary sensors provide high-resolution multimodal tactile data including 3D force, kinesthetic, and slip perception. This enables new tactile capabilities for next-generation humanoid robots to autonomously interact with physical environments and overcome dexterous manipulation bottlenecks. Currently, XENSE ROBOTICS’s products include high-resolution multimodal tactile sensors and intelligent tactile perception & control modules.
Dr.Ma Daolin, Founder of XENSE ROBOTICS, is recognized as one of the most technically accomplished scientists in tactile perception. Globally, top talent in visuotactile research primarily originates from MIT’s Gelsight/Gelslim labs; Dr.Ma is among the few returnee entrepreneurs in this field. He earned his B.S. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Peking University in 2009 and a Ph.D. from the same institution in 2015. After postdoctoral research at MIT’s Mcube Lab, he continued pioneering work in robotic manipulation and tactile perception. In 2021, Dr.Ma joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University as a tenure-track associate professor and established the Laboratory for Operational Perception and Intelligence.
In tactile perception research, Dr.Ma proposed the novel concept of "building spatial perception through touch and contact" for robotic fine manipulation. In 2021, his study "Extrinsic Contact Sensing with Relative-Motion Tracking from Distributed Tactile Measurements" received the Best Conference Paper Award at ICRA, robotics’ most influential international conference.
As a key scholar in 3D contact force field reconstruction, Dr.Ma achieved high-precision motion tracking via tactile sensing and pioneered the "Extrinsic Contact Sensing" theoretical framework. This breakthrough enables robots to simultaneously perceive "force" and "motion" during manipulation, laying the foundation for precise contact control in dexterous operations. While traditional sensors focus only on force measurement, Dr.Ma’s research demonstrates the value of "motion tracking" as a new tactile dimension—recognized as a pivotal advancement for tactile sensing technology.
Humanoid robots are emerging as new engines for technological competition and economic growth. XENSE ROBOTICS’s innovations in tactile perception will provide core technological support for developing new quality productive forces.
"Dexterous manipulation is key to deploying general-purpose robots," according to Dr.Ma Daolin. "XENSE ROBOTICS is committed to empowering robotic dexterity through multimodal tactile perception, enabling robots to simulate human tactile sensitivity, finely perceive the physical world, and drive transformative advances that unlock intelligent robotics’ full productive potential." Currently, general robots represented by humanoid robots are becoming a new engine for technological competition and economic development, and XENSE ROBOTICS's innovations in the field of tactile perception will also provide core technical support for fostering new quality productivity.
Investor Perspectives
Project Lead,GL Ventures
"Embodied intelligence is crucial for AI’s expansion into the physical world. Tactile perception—a core technology in this ecosystem—critically impacts autonomy, intelligence, and safety. Professor Ma’s team combines deep technical expertise with comprehensive industry vision. We’re confident they’ll deliver exceptional tactile solutions and create significant value for the embodied intelligence industry."
Zhu Xiaowen, Partner, Plug and Play China
"Tactile perception is vital for robotic end-effectors and serves as the ‘last mile’ technology connecting planning, execution, and perception. As an innovative data dimension, it accelerates end-to-end embodied AI training. We’re confident in Professor Ma’s team to rapidly deploy this technology across industrial robotics while advancing humanoid dexterity."
Jiao Tong Unniversity Han Yuan Fund Representative
"With its expertise in multimodal tactile perception, XENSE enables hand-eye coordinated precision manipulation. We foresee rapid commercialization across industrial scenarios, positioning this technology as a key driver of productive forces."
About XENSE ROBOTICS
Xense Robotics is committed to empowering robots with dexterous manipulation through multimodal tactile perception.
Xense Robotics focuses on researching and developing multimodal tactile perception and intelligent technologies for robot fine manipulation. Related products include high-resolution multimodal tactile sensors, tactile perception and control intelligent modules, etc. These sensors provide multimodal tactile perception information, such as high-resolution three-dimensional force sensation, kinesthetic sensation, and slip sensation, solving the limitations of traditional sensors that only detect pressure distribution and lack sufficient spatial resolution. This innovation offers new tactile perception capabilities for the next generation of humanoid robots to achieve autonomous interaction with the physical environment, empowering them to overcome dexterous manipulation bottlenecks and providing core technical support for the new quality productivity of intelligent robots.
Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Shanghai, Xense Robotics has a founding team from top universities worldwide, with deep expertise and leadership in the field. Leveraging top-tier technical capabilities, aiming to deliver optimal solutions for tactile perception. Currently, Xense Robotics has secured investments from leading venture capital firms, including GL Ventures.
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