In July 2026, Xense Robotics, specializing in embodied tactile intelligence, completed a funding round worth approximately 100 million yuan. Founded by SJTU associate professor Daolin Ma, sole winner of the ICRA 2021 Best Paper Award, the company will accelerate industrial application of high-precision tricolor optical tactile sensors.
Funding Overview and Core Team
In July 2026, Xense Robotics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. announced the completion of a new funding round worth approximately 100 million yuan, with strategic investment from leading industrial players including Jide Electrical.
- Funding size: approximately 100 million yuan
- Founder: Associate Professor Daolin Ma of Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- Academic honor: Sole winner of the ICRA 2021 Best Paper Award
- Founded: May 2024
- Core philosophy: "Tactile sensing illuminates physical intelligence"
This round signals that the tactile perception segment of the embodied intelligence supply chain is accelerating from laboratory to industrialization.
Full-Chain Product Portfolio
Xense Robotics' product matrix covers the complete tactile perception chain from hardware to software:
- Hardware layer: Multi-modal tactile sensors and data acquisition systems
- Software layer: VTLA embodied model and tactile world model
- Goal: Enhance robots' contact perception, fine manipulation, and autonomous interaction capabilities in real-world environments
Strategic Value of Tactile Intelligence
In the embodied intelligence field, large language models have significantly enhanced robots' capabilities in language understanding, visual processing, and task planning. However:
- When robots need to operate in real physical environments, tactile perception remains an indispensable dimension
- A robot without tactile sensing is like a human without hands
- Touch directly provides key information about objects' mechanical properties, surface texture, and temperature
Three Key Funding Deployment Areas
The funding will be deployed across the following directions:
| Direction | Specific Content | Industrialization Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor industrialization | High-precision tricolor optical tactile sensors | Mass production application |
| Data validation | Visuo-tactile data acquisition equipment and large-scale datasets | Real-world scenario deployment |
| Model iteration | World's only physical intelligence model with native tactile support | Critical task application |
Application Prospects and Industrial Value
Embodied tactile intelligence technology has broad commercialization prospects:
- Automotive manufacturing: Precision component assembly and surface quality inspection
- Battery production: Fine cell handling and assembly
- Electronics manufacturing: Significantly improved success rates in micro-component operations
For buyers in Central Asia and Russia monitoring China's automotive industry intelligence upgrade, the rise of embodied intelligence companies such as Xense Robotics represents a breakthrough in China's robotic core perception technology. EX1000.COM will continue to track the latest developments in China's embodied intelligence industry and its export opportunities.
Segment Outlook
As humanoid robots, service robots, and industrial collaborative robots develop rapidly, demand for high-precision tactile sensors is poised for explosive growth. With SJTU's academic background and Professor Ma's technical leadership, Xense Robotics is well-positioned to establish unique competitive barriers.
