Xinyangwei raises $1.6M angel round for underwater sensing chips

What's the deal? XinyangweiDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Chinese underwater sensing chip startup, has raised 11 million CNY (about $1.6 million) in an angel round. K2VC and Shanfeng Fund invested, while Fengfeng Capital and Yinfeng Capital led. The money will support team building and hiring.

What's next? Xinyangwei is developing acoustic sensing modules for underwater robots that combine CMUT arrays, ASICs and supporting software. Its first commercial target is pool-cleaning robots, where the company says the module can lift cleaning coverage above 95% and enable zone recognition and path planning.

Why now? Turbidity and particles limit vision and laser sensing underwater, making ultrasound useful for autonomous robots. Xinyangwei is targeting near-field 3D acoustic imaging within roughly 20 metres, and plans to expand into underwater mapping, aquaculture and acoustic communication.

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Image credit: arduinolabs