Welcome to this special episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations with Brent Balinski, one which we're running as part of our quest to identify Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers.

The 50 Most Innovative is an annual campaign by @AuManufacturing. This time around it has been made possible through the generous support of MYOB, CSIRO, the NSW government’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility, and the Commonwealth Bank.

In this episode we hear from Dr Heba Khamis, co-founder and CEO at sensor startup Contactile. She tells us about the company’s novel approach to making robots less clumsy, where they’ve seen the most interest from, the difficulties of finding the right silicone manufacturer, and more.

Episode guide

0:55 – origin story stuff.

2:20 – Investigating the possibility of commercialisation via accelerators. “We didn’t realise how naive we were until we’d done those programs.”

4:15 – The optical-based sensors and how they work.

4:42 – Some different ways that tracking light is used.

5:38 – Why slipperiness is important to the Contactile’s approach to sensing.

6:40 – How dexterity is useful and how others have tried to replicate it.

7:30 – What vision-based sensing misses.

8:47 – Not a lot of groups developing tactile sensors.

10:52 – On dexterity’s two components: mechanics and sensing. 

11:45 – Warehouse environments and questions about why humanoid robots are the best choice for these. 

12:49 – Current products.

13:50 – The challenge of manufacturing their products. The silicone has been the tricky bit.

14:55 – Use of Australian companies in manufacturing, testing, system integration.

16:32 – Use of Australian universities for R&D.

16:58 – Size of team.

17:35 – E-commerce is where the most market pull has come from.

19:23 – On innovation.

20:08 – Contacting Contactile.

20:36 – Some challenges particular to small businesses.

Further reading

$US 2.5 million seed round for Sydney sensor maker

Things picking up for Sydney sensor business

From data to decisions — three game changers explain how to get there

CSIRO ON, off since 2020, now back on