brighter-signals

Beyond Weight Sensors: How Tactile Sensing Could Transform Occupant Classification

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:21:49 GMT

We are proud to be featured in the automotive industry leading blog about how Brighter Signals BV tactile sensing is being used to transform occupant classification

Thanks go out to the InCabin and AutoSens teams for a great industry resource and helping to ask industry leading questions such as "what are the limitations of existing occupancy sensing technologies?" and "Which occupant scenarios are the most difficult to classify?"

By asking the questions about the problems of today, and how to address the future trends of the industry make sure that people are always up to date with the latest technical data.

Here is what is featured in the Article

As vehicle restraint systems become more intelligent, accurately understanding who is sitting in each seat and how they are positioned is becoming just as important as detecting that someone is there.

Existing occupancy sensing technologies, including weight sensors, cameras and radar, each have limitations when it comes to reliably classifying occupants across different body types and seating scenarios. We spoke with Christine Fraser , Co-Founder & COO of Brighter Signals , about how tactile sensing could provide a new layer of occupant intelligence, improve classification accuracy for vulnerable passengers, and help enable safer, more personalised restraint systems

1. What limitations of existing occupancy sensing technologies motivated this work?

Air bag systems have traditionally protected large, white males the most. If you are a small female, teenager or slighter frame the airbags can actually harm you more than they protect you. The airbag technology is now getting more sophisticated, so they can partially deploy or do more targeted deployment locations (e.g. short and wide, versus long and narrow). However if you do not know more information about the person who is sitting in the seat, and what position they are in then you can not use those features.

The traditional POS or weight sensors are just not accurate enough.

For the last few years the industry turned to cameras and radars to detect occupants. Both systems have limitations. A driver focused camera is in the car to stay. It works well, but using that single camera to monitor all occupants has been shown to have limitations. For example when the driver is very large and blocks the line of sight to the 2nd row of seats. Radars were also thought to provide answers, but they produce far too many false positives and negatives, and are proving to be too difficult and expensive to integrate. In a recent OCS study run by BMW our technology was up against 3 Tier1 solutions using mainly camera, radar or existing seat sensors. We came out on top.

2. How does tactile sensing improve classification accuracy?

We have proven ourselves to be a new, more innovative, and higher accurate, solution for Occupancy classification. One that really understands the occupant, detect their pose and position, and even detects how comfortable they are feeling.

Our tactile seat sensors are providing a whole data set that has never existed before in the car. A true occupant monitoring system from the seat perspective. With an ability to detect movements and adjustments that cameras and radar do not notice. At a detection and reaction speed that provides true realtime position and movement data. The processing power, and thus cost, of capturing the data is very low, making the dataset one of the most affordable available to OEMs.

We also believe deeply in sensor fusion. Double verifying using different sensors technology to increase robustness, and consumer confidence. We design our sensors with scalability and integration in mind. Ensuring simplicity of integration and richness of data at every step of the process. We are designing everything we do with the aim of having these sensors in every car.

3. Which occupant scenarios are most difficult to classify reliably?

Traditionally seat sensors are very good at classifying large adults. Historically technology has struggled to differentiate children from small adults. A 6 year old child weighs about 20kgs, where as a 5th percentile female is about 50kgs.

At the moment the regulations ask car companies to be able to distinguish between these two use cases. That leave a very high percentage of larger children and teenagers in an “undefined grey zone” where cars are not really able to protect them. We think that is unacceptable. Even regulatory bodies like the FMVSS have stated they would like to improve this, and the technology companies have argued it is not possible. We believe with our technology it now is.

4. How might tactile sensing influence future restraint systems?

We believe that everyone who is in a car should be protected. So we foresee a future where the restraint systems react very differently depending on the occupant.

We believe that we will be able to sense presence as well as touch, and that will be able to improve current systems like “hands-on wheel” or “air-bag suppression zones” where the technology sometimes annoys occupants more than they protect. It will be important that technology works with the occupants and that the occupants trust the signals and alarms that they hear.

We believe the technology will not only help make cars more safe, but also more comfortable. Helping the OEMs understand driving dynamics and develop more comfort and personalization features as a result. As the driving experience evolves to be more of a travelling experience, brand loyalty may be based more on how you feel in the car rather than how you feel driving the car.

Read the full article
https://lnkd.in/eQNDJGSQ

#airbag deployment, #automotive interior technology, #Automotivesafety , Brighter Signals, #childoccupantdetection , #FMVSS , #Incabinsensing , hashtag

#InCabin , #InCabinEurope , #occupancysensing , #occupantclassification , #OCS , sensor fusion, tactile seat sensors, #tactile sensing

New Hires and Summer Interns

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:17:05 GMT

Pressing the Accellerator Over the Summer

Most of Europe slows down over the summer, Brighter Signals on the other hand is using this time to accelerate its operations and grow the team.

We have enjoyed welcoming our visiting summer interns for both Robotics and Automotive. However, this summer we have also welcomed a BMW S5 test car into the office along with 4 Ford seats. So, the office has never been so busy.

We moved into our Innovation Centre location in March 2026. This new office is located at Hogeweyselaan 201-Z, Weesp, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We have joked for the last few months that the office has more robots than people.

We share an office with Robostaffer and are founding members of the Amsterdam Robotics Crew. Our new innovation centre allows us to have shared testing and technical development space. It also means we now have room to grow the team.

We presently have two full-time openings. We are looking for both a Senior Product Engineer with Automotive and/or robotics experience. Our second vacancy is for a textile engineer. Both roles are to help us take a big step towards mass production and help both validate out sensors as well as help work with our manufacturing partners.

On the robotics side we have enjoyed welcoming our Portuguese summer inter. Who helped us kick off some of the activities with our development partner Seed Robotics. These activities will continue from September, this time with a Robotics Engineer joining us from the Masters in Robotics course at Twente University. Seed Robotics received their national funding for our Eurostars project earlier this month. So activities can now begin to accelerate.

If you are interested in joining an extremely exciting and innovative working environment please do not estate to reach out. In you are interested in either of our open roles please see the About Us section and email your applications to info@brightersignals.com

Brighter Signals Wins Startup Award at InCabin USA

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:22:16 GMT

Brighter Signals today won "Most Scalable" new technology at the start-up competition during day two of in-Cabin USA. The judges included Dr. Robin Jenkin of Nvidia (pictured) as well as a Ford's Susan Shaw. Great way to end an incredible two days meeting existing and potential customers and collaboration partners.

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Brighter Signals Introduces Next-Generation SBR Sensor: Smarter Seat-Belt Reminder Performance, Same 2-Pin Footprint

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:53:58 GMT

New fabric-based sensor is a rolling-change upgrade for existing SBR systems — using richer weight and weight-distribution data to overcome the limits of binary presence detectors that have defined the SBR category for two decades, and to close a known safety gap for small occupants the legacy sensors miss

Amsterdam, Netherlands - June 10, 2026: Brighter Signals today announced the launch of its next-generation Seat-Belt Reminder (SBR) sensor , building on the global momentum of its occupancy classification platform now in active evaluation with leading OEMs and Tier 1s. The new SBR sensor is a deliberately simpler, lower-cost product engineered as a direct, rolling-change replacement for today’s 2-pin SBR sensors — no ECU redesign, no harness change, no integration project. It delivers a meaningful step-up in accuracy at the same price point as the binary presence detectors that have dominated the SBR category for nearly twenty years.

The new sensor addresses a less-discussed but serious safety gap: legacy SBR sensors frequently miss children, teenagers, and small adults who aren’t sitting squarely on the seat — meaning the system fails to remind exactly the occupants who most need to be belted. Brighter Signals’ improved accuracy and larger sensing area are designed to close that gap.

Several active proof-of-concept programs with global OEMs are already underway, focused on the well-documented limitations of legacy SBR technology — missed detection of small or off-center occupants, false chimes triggered by groceries, backpacks, or handbags, and the inability of single-threshold sensors to reliably tell a seated person apart from a piece of cargo.

THE PROBLEM

Why this matters: the SBR category hasn’t advanced in two decades

Today’s seat-belt reminder systems are built on technology that has barely evolved since the early 2000s. Most are simple bend-sensors or single-zone pressure sensors that report a binary “weight present / weight absent” signal to the seat ECU. The result, as documented by automakers and consumer complaints worldwide, is a sensor that:

Fails to reliably detect children, teenagers, and small adults who don’t sit squarely on the seat — exactly the occupants the system is meant to remind
Loses detection of small occupants during cornering, when the rider shifts away from the sensor’s single zone
Chimes when a bag of groceries, a backpack, or a purse is placed on the seat
Cannot reliably tell the difference between a seated occupant and cargo of similar weight
Suffers from hot-spot wear, drift, and edge-of-sensor failures over the life of the vehicle
Generates enough false alerts that owners actively look for ways to defeat the system — undermining the safety intent of the regulation in the first place

These limitations are not edge cases. They are daily occurrences across the global fleet and a known source of warranty cost, customer complaints, and regulatory risk.

THE PRODUCT

How the Brighter Signals SBR sensor is different

The new sensor is a focused, single-purpose product — it isnot a full occupancy classification system. It does not classify occupants by weight class, detect out-of-position seating, or distinguish child seats. What it does is capture richer, spatially distributed weight and weight-distribution data than a binary sensor can provide, and use that data to make a substantially more accurate belted/unbelted decision:

Weight distribution, not just weight. Where a legacy SBR sensor reports a single threshold crossing, the Brighter Signals sensor reads how load is distributed across the seating surface. A seated human body produces a characteristic distribution pattern that a backpack, a bag of groceries, or a box does not — and that difference is what the SBR logic keys on.
Reliable detection of small occupants. The larger sensing footprint and richer distribution data are designed to recognize children, teenagers, and small adults even when they aren’t seated squarely — closing a well-known coverage gap in legacy SBR sensors and addressing a known safety shortfall.
Cornering-tolerant. Because the sensor reads a far greater surface area, an occupant is recognized even as they shift during cornering or lean against the door — conditions under which legacy single-zone sensors can lose detection.
Whole-surface sensing. The fabric sensor covers the full cushion area rather than a single zone, so an occupant is recognized whether they sit centered, shifted, or with crossed legs — and a bag pressed against one edge of the seat is far less likely to be misread as a person.
Drop-in electrical compatibility. The sensor interfaces with existing 2-pin seat ECUs without modification. OEMs can specify it on a current platform without re-architecting the seat electronics, requalifying the harness, or changing software in the body control module.
Cost-neutral. The new SBR sensor is priced to compete head-to-head with incumbent binary sensors, removing the traditional cost-versus-performance trade-off that has kept the category stagnant.
Durable. The fabric construction has no moving parts and no localized pressure points, and is designed to perform consistently over the service life of the vehicle.

FROM THE TEAM

Andrew Klein, Co-Founder and CEO of Brighter Signals, said:

“ SBR is one of the most-complained-about systems in the modern vehicle, and the technology underneath it hasn’t meaningfully changed in twenty years. OEMs have to balance customer satisfaction with regulatory compliance — safety always comes first, but cost matters too — and until now that meant living with false chimes and conservative calibrations, because the only alternative was a much more expensive and more complicated sensor system. We’ve removed that trade-off. Our SBR sensor slots directly into the existing 2-pin ECU footprint, costs no more than the binary sensor it replaces, and brings a meaningful step-up in accuracy. For an OEM, this is the rarest kind of upgrade — better performance, same cost, no integration project.”

Edward Shim, Co-Founder and CTO of Brighter Signals, who invented the underlying sensor technology, added:

“The fundamental problem with legacy SBR sensors is that they are trying to infer a human being from a single number — typically whether weight on the seat crosses a threshold — and a single number simply isn’t enough information to tell a small adult from a backpack of similar weight, or to recognize a child who isn’t sitting squarely on the seat. Our fabric sensor doesn’t try to do occupant classification at the SBR level — that’s a different productr. What it does is capture enough additional information about how weight is applied and distributed across the seating surface to make the binary belted/unbelted decision much more reliably. The active POCs we’re running with OEMs are focused on exactly that: showing that the false alarms which define the current generation of SBR sensors can be substantially reduced — and the small occupants those sensors miss today can be reliably detected — without changing the ECU, the harness, or the price.”

PRODUCT FAMILY

Relationship to the Brighter Signals occupancy classification platform

The new SBR sensor shares the same underlying fabric-sensor substrate as the company’s occupancy classification (OC) system but is a distinct, simpler product with a narrower job. The OC system uses a richer sensor configuration — multiple pressure sensors, capacitance sensing, and seat-back proximity strips — together with a classification algorithm to support airbag-deployment decisions under FMVSS 208, Euro NCAP, and UN R94/95. The SBR sensor does none of that. It is designed to do one thing well — improve the belted/unbelted decision at the same cost and pin-count as today’s binary sensors — and to give OEMs a path to better SBR performance without committing to a full OC program.

AVAILABILITY

Availability and partner engagement

The Brighter Signals SBR sensor is available now for OEM and Tier 1 evaluation, with active proof-of-concept programs underway with multiple global vehicle manufacturers. The sensor is suitable for new vehicle programs as well as rolling-change upgrades on platforms already in production, where SBR performance complaints or regulatory pressure are driving a sensor change. Through its manufacturing partnership with Changshu, China-based CAIP Ltd, production is scalable to global OEM volumes under established automotive quality standards.

ABOUT BRIGHTER SIGNALS

Brighter Signals develops fabric-based sensor technology for the automotive industry, enabling occupant detection, classification, position sensing, and seat-belt reminder applications. The company’s patented platform measures weight, pressure, and proximity through voltage and capacitance differentials in fabric-integrated sensors, delivering regulatory-grade performance at a fraction of the cost, weight, and complexity of legacy systems. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Brighter Signals works with global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers across automotive, robotics, and healthcare.

https://mailchi.mp/53ff35718669/brighter-signals-announces-further-funding-19887919?e=ca541d771e

Watch the SBR sensor in action: youtube.com/watch?v=G42Xdhv25vc

Media Contact

Brighter Signals B.V.
info@brightersignals.com
+ 3 1-6-23660310
http://www.brightersignals.com

Further Funding for Advanced Sensor Technology for Cars and Robots

Tue, 05 May 2026 09:43:40 GMT

Brighter Signals Raises €1.6M for Smart Sensors

Amsterdam, Netherlands - May 5, 2026: Brighter Signals B.V., a developer of patented fabric-based sensing technology for automotive and robotics applications, today announced €1.6 million in new funding from venture capital funds, public innovation programs, and strategic lenders.

The financing round includes equity investment from Wake Up Capital, an impact-focused venture capital firm, and ELOKON Ventures, the venture arm of the Germany-based ELOKON Group. The round also includes regional funding from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland as well as a Eurostars grant co-funded by the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO.).

Brighter Signals has developed a new class of flexible, fabric-based tactile sensors that enable machines and objects to perceive pressure, presence, and proximity with unprecedented resolution. The technology is designed to unlock safer and more intelligent automotive systems and enable new levels of dexterity in industrial and humanoid robotics. The company’s technology enables vehicles to better understand who and what is in a seat—improving critical safety systems such as airbag deployment and enhancing occupant comfort—while giving robots the ability to sense and respond to physical interaction.

Andrew Klein, CEO and Co-Founder of Brighter Signals, commented:

“Our sensors produce a level of physical insight that traditional systems simply can’t capture. This funding allows us to scale both the hardware and the algorithms needed to turn that data into safer vehicles and more capable machines.”

The company is currently engaged in more than a dozen proof-of-concept programs with leading global automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, reflecting strong demand for next-generation sensing solutions.

Andrew Parish, Partner at Wake Up Capital, said:

“Airbags were designed for male drivers. In a crash, women and children are disproportionately at risk from the very systems meant to protect them. Brighter Signals' fabric sensors change that, enabling vehicles to deliver a personalised safety response for every occupant. With significant regulatory tailwinds and growing consumer demand, this is a major commercial opportunity with measurable global impact. This is exactly why WakeUp Capital is excited to support Brighter Signals."

Alexander Glasmacher, Managing Director at ELOKON Ventures, added:

“Robotics won’t be defined by how machines look—it will be defined by what they can reliably sense and touch. That’s why we believe advanced sensing is foundational to safer, more capable automation—whether it’s protecting pedestrians around forklifts, enabling smarter industrial vehicles, or powering the next wave of humanoid robotics. Brighter Signals’ technology brings a human-like sense of touch to machines, with the potential to significantly improve precision, efficiency, and—most importantly—safety in real-world environments.”

The newly secured capital will be used to advance product development, with a particular focus on enhancing the company’s proprietary data interpretation algorithms. It will also support the continued expansion and execution of active pilot programs across automotive, robotics, and industrial sectors. The company expects several of its current pilot programs to progress toward large-scale commercial deployment over the coming 12–24 months.

About Brighter Signals B.V.

Brighter Signals is a Netherlands-based deep technology company developing flexible, fabric-based pressure sensors that enable machines and objects to sense and interpret the physical world. Its solutions are designed for applications in automotive safety and comfort systems, robotics, and industrial automation.

About WakeUp Capital

Wake Up Capital is an early-stage impact venture capital fund backing companies in climate, health, and emerging technology across Europe, investing from pre-seed through Series A. The fund is supported by the European Union through the InvestEU Fund.

About ELOKON Ventures
ELOKON Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of the ELOKON Group, an international leading provider of safety systems for forklifts and fleet management with over 30 years of experience in intralogistics. It invests in early-stage companies developing next-generation technologies in robotics, automation, and industrial innovation. Beyond capital, ELOKON Ventures supports founders with strategic expertise, industry insight, and access to a global network.

For press release site - Link

Media Contact

Brighter Signals B.V.
info@brightersignals.com
+31-6-23660310
http://www.brightersignals.com

Scaling Sensor Fusion - Industry blog

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:06:50 GMT

Rethinking Sensing - Brighter Signals Featured in the Industry Blog Post by Autosence and IN Cabin

When the Automotive industry community of Autosence and In Cabin wanted to feature the thought leaders in the future of In-cabin Safety they reached out to Brighter Signals COO Christine Fraser for her input.

A blog post published by INCabin on the 16th of April, 2026, highlights some of the challenges that the industry is currently facing when trying to deliver to the regulators and customers.

The Blog post features both Christine Fraser from Brighter Signals and Dr. Halina Niemiec from Magna discussing not only the challenges but also the future industry trends and how sensor fusion and data integration are the key to successful solutions.

Christine discusses how safety is still critical, and central, to the In-Cabin experience. There are still over a million global road traffic deaths annually. Regulatory bodies such as NHTSA, Euro-NCAP, and C-NCAP continuously raise the bar on these safety standards. Knowing who is in the cabin, and if they are sitting correctly, is critical information when choosing how to protect them in the event of accidents. Automotive manufacturers can not ignore the need for precise, reliable and cost-effective occupant classification and protection. The quality of data input is more imperative than ever. 

The growing demands for both safer and more intelligent cockpits mean some of the traditional technologies used for Occupancy Classification are no longer viable. They do not supply rich enough data to satisfy these growing demands. In addition to function and cost of sensors, reliability of data and integration of data are important considerations when determining the right solution architecture. 

Unfortunately, traditional sensing technologies cannot accurately replicate what humans feel. As we move towards more software defined vehicles the intelligence of the systems is defined by the quality of data that it can use. This means there is a growing opportunity for a new generation of sensors that operate in real-time with a high degree of accuracy, reliability and durability.

 While cameras and radar are well-suited for monitoring the exterior of moving vehicles, the interior presents very different safety and comfort requirements that these systems are not ideally equipped to address.

Touch is one of our most important senses. It helps us feel and can have a profound effect on our emotional reactions. Vision alone has empowered so much but is it really the best way for us to understand how we interact with the seats and surfaces. 

Knowing what is happening on all sides of the human body is helping complete and round out the full data-circle. At Brighter Signals, we can help quantify the comfort and in-cabin satisfaction metrics; empowering a new travelling experience based on a deeper understanding of how we interact with and trust our cars. 

Read the full blog post https://incabin.com/blog/in-cabin-2026-safety-magna-and-brighter-signals/

Read the Brighter Signals Automotive White Paper for more insights

Or come to INCabin USA to hear Christine present

Brighter Signals - Our First Year

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:12:38 GMT

It is almost 12 months to the day we looked each other in the eye and said “lets start this company together”

Andy, Edward and Christine all met in Amsterdam at the end of Q1 2025. Within a few weeks all three were aligned in creating a new company around "The Future of Touch" and our patented fabric based sensor technology.

During the Easter weekend 2025 we departed in Andys car, for Frankfurt, to meet with a potential Automotive manufacturing partner. We said "Lets see if we can pass the first hurdle of any longterm relationship, the first weekend away together!"

12 months on, we are now a small team, with paying customers, multiple product offerings, funded by revenues, grants, loans and equity partners.

We are an official partner to multiple automotive and robotics customers and have a manufacturing partner that can help us scale to the volumes and quality our customers need.

We are using this moment to reflect on the achievements of the past year, and celebrate some of those achievements, while we continue to progress day-on-day towards our vision be the Future of Touch and be part of every vehicle, factory and hospital.

Some of our journey highlights!

12 months since deciding to found the company

11 trips to Christine as made to Germany

10 months since incorporation

9 weeks since our first employee joined us

8 combined trips to China

7 tradefairs & conferences

6 robots that share the office with us!

5 weeks since we opened our new office

4 new patents or patent territories granted

3 great co-founders

2 test cars

1 Eurostars grant worth €500K

We are looking forward to this being the first year of many, and enjoying the journey together along the way.

Brighter Signals Awarded Eurostars Grant Worth €500K

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:17:05 GMT

Brighter Signals and Seed Robotics have been awarded non-dilutive funding to incororate sensors into robotic hand

We are delighted that Brighter Signals BV and Seed Robotics have been awarded a Eurostars Grant to incorporate the Brighter Signals Tactile sensing technology into the Seed Robotics robot hands, with an aim to measure the equivalent of human touch.

Eurostars is a subsidy for international market orientated R&D. The subsidy aims to stimulate faster development and growth. Worth ~€500K for Brighter Signals, this non-dilutive funding helps us achieve and work towards our vision of being the Future of Touch, and having sensors in every vehicle and factory within the next 5-10years.

We had already been in contact with Seed Robotics, who are based in Portugal. Having met face to face previously at events like #ICRA and #IROS . Their entrepreneurial approach and their traction in robotic hand technology make them a great partner for this project.

After the project being accepted by the Eurostars international committee, and achieving a ranking of the #7 project in the Netherlands and #1 project in Portugal we were delighted to be invited to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency Eurostars winners event in December. Our project kicked off on 1st February and we are already making great progress. There are still forms being filled out and final details being finalised however we are extremely pleased with the RVO for all their help and support. Thanks to Elke Evers and team.

Brighter Signals and Seed Robotics will collaborate to pioneer high-depth tactile sensors that symbiotically integrate with a robot hand, to create high-performance artificial touch perception equivalent to human touch.

There are historical challenges for robot haptics to achieve human-level touch perception. This project will enable robotic hands to learn human touch perception and benefit human wellness, safety, and industrial applications.

Ultimately, this collaboration positions us to lead the emerging field of robotic haptics. By validating and demonstrating the value of tactile robotics, the project will unlock new commercial opportunities while delivering measurable social impact including safer workplaces, healthier workers, and stronger European competitiveness in advanced robotics.

Eurostars is part of the European Partnership for Innovative SMEs, co-financed with the European Union through Horizon Europe .

RVO is the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. They support, advise, and stimulate Dutch businesses. Helping entrepreneurs innovate and become more sustainable. We face major challenges worldwide. It's time to make our economy, energy supply, agriculture, and food systems more sustainable. RVO is working on tomorrow, today.

#robotics #partnerships #humanoid #tactile sensing #grasping #soft robotics #haptics

Brighter Signals Presents at Robotics and AI-enhanced Wearables event in the UK

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:27:06 GMT

As a follow up to talking at IROS Brighter signals were invited to speak at the AI-enhanced wearables event in the UK on 11th of February 2026

This week our CTO, Edward Shim presented some of our cutting edge innovations for robotics touch perception, and monitoring vital signs, at the event for AI-enhanced wearables in the UK.

The event focused on the topic - Beyond the Prototype: Building the Roadmap to Impact. With a a full‑day final workshop on Wednesday 11 February 2026 which brought together clinicians, researchers, and industry to accelerate the translation of an AI‑enabled, wearable, multi‑parameter monitoring platform for chronic disease management, with an initial focus on heart failure .

With some of the leading players invited as keynote speakers— Marco Ceccarelli , Giuseppe Zuccalà , Jo Davies , Christopher George, Andrea Tales —Brighter signals were one of the industry contributors, together with AEbiosystem and Everybotics. In addition to edward Shim preseting some of his most recent developments we also had a demo stand so that contributor could touch and experience the technology themselves.

Thanks go out to Dr. Daniele Cafolla, Senior Lecturer in Robotics & Artificial Intelligence at Swansea niverity for organising such as great event and inviting us to participate.

Welcoming Ludo to Brighter Signals

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:23:29 GMT

Please join us in welcoming Ludo to the team. We’re excited for what’s ahead.

We are delighted to welcome Ludo Stellingwerff to the Brighter Signals team.

Ludo is a highly talented and exerienced Software, Systems & Solutions Architect.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace and a Masters in Software Engineering Ludo has been working for over 20 years at the forefront of technology. Ludo has held senior leadership roles, including CTO at ASK Community Systems and CTO at Asimovo.

“We are delighted that Ludo has joined our team. His approach and knowledge are already proving to be invaluable. His deep experience in aerospace systems and robotics is directly aligned with the work we are doing at Brighter Signals.

We believe the probability of success of Brighter Signals has just increased with Ludo joining the journey.” Edward Shim, CTO and inventor.

Please join us in welcoming Ludo to the team. We’re excited for what’s ahead.

Brighter Signals secures financing from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland for developing fabric-based sensors to detect human touch and pressure

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:28:32 GMT

Brighter Signals B.V. a startup based in Amsterdam, has received a €328,000 convertible loan from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland. Brighter Signals is developing a new type of sensor to detect human touch and pressure. These highly accurate, fabric-based sensors enable new safety and comfort features in automotive applications and provide robot grippers and humanoid robots with advanced grasping capabilities.

The funding supports several projects with car manufacturers, Tier-1 automotive suppliers, and leading robotics developers. These initiatives focus on the technical and commercial validation of the Brighter Signals platform, which combines flexible textile sensors, integrated electronics, and embedded software for real-time pressure and position detection.

This investment will accelerate the engineering, testing, and certification work required to bring the technology to mass production. The company and technology are already attracting significant interest from both automotive and robotics sectors.

Edward Shim, Co-Founder & CTO of Brighter Signals: “This investment from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland comes at a pivotal moment as we validate and scale our technology toward industrial production. Our sensors demonstrate that soft, lightweight materials outperform the incumbent and more expensive sensing systems, offering higher resolution and more accurate results at lower cost. This funding will accelerate our development and bring us closer to commercial deployment.”

Ludolf Stavenga, Fund Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: "Brighter Signals' tactile sensors offer clear advantages over existing technologies and support promising applications in the automotive, robotics, and other sectors. We are pleased to support the company during this critical phase."

About Brighter Signals
Brighter Signals is a startup based in Amsterdam developing flexible, fabric-based tactile sensors for automotive, robotics, and other markets. Based on patented sensor technologies created by Edward Shim, the platform delivers high-resolution pressure mapping, durability, and seamless integration into complex surfaces. Brighter Signals partners with global car makers and their Tier-1 suppliers to enable next-generation in-cabin safety and comfort applications, and collaborates with leading robotics manufacturers to give human-like touch to industrial grippers and humanoid hands. https://www.brightersignals.com/

About I n novatiefonds Noord-Holland
Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, and Sanquin. The fund supports entrepreneurs in the province of North Holland by financing innovation in the Proof-of-Concept phase through convertible loans. Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland manages two funds: one for innovative startups, supported by RVO, and one for academic startups, supported by EFRO. www.innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl

For more information
Andrew Klein, Co-Founder & CEO of Brighter Signals: andy@brightersignals.com , +31 6 2366 0310
Ilmatar Lutje Schipholt, Investment Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: Ilmatar.LutjeSchipholt@innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl, +31 20 246 0024

Presenting at IROS (IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems)

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:31:30 GMT

Brighter Signals Paper Being Presented in Two Workshops

The 2025 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2025) will be held from October 19 to 25, 2025 in Hangzhou, China.

The Brighter Signals paper on Emerging High-Depth Signal Tactile Sensing Technology for Achieving Artificial Human Touch has been shortlisted for both the Dexterity workshop and the Textile Robotics workshop. Both will take place on Monday 20th October.

Our Co-founder Christine Fraser will be there to present and do a demo of the technology along with other world experts in the fields of robotic dexterity and textile robotics.

IROS is a large and impactful forum for the international robotics research community to explore the frontier of science and technology in intelligent robots and smart machines, emphasising future directions and the latest approaches, designs, and outcomes. In addition to technical sessions and multi-media presentations, IROS conferences also hold panel discussions, forums, workshops, tutorials, exhibits, and technical tours to enrich the fruitful discussions among conference attendees.

https://www.iros25.org/

https://textileroboticslab.santannapisa.it/workshop-on-textiles-and-robotics-at-iros-2025/

https://sites.google.com/view/iros-2025-workshop-tactile

Brighter Signals and Jiangsu Changshu Automotive Trim Group (CAIP) Announce Agreement for a Strategic Partnership to Manufacture Next-Generation Tactile Sensing Technology for Automotive and Robotics

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:12:46 GMT

Strategic Partnership to Manufacture Tactile Sensing Technology

Amsterdam, the Netherlands / Changshu, China — October 8, 2025 — Brighter Signals B.V., a pioneer in fabric-based tactile sensing technology, today announced an agreement to create a strategic partnership with Jiangsu Changshu Automotive Trim Group ( CAIP) , a leading Tier-1 supplier to the global automotive industry. Under the agreement, CAIP will manufacture Brighter Signals’ groundbreaking tactile sensors at its facilities in China, with production expanding to its new European facility in 2026. The agreement is expected to be finalized in a signing ceremony, in China, later this quarter.

The companies will also collaborate to integrate Brighter Signals’ sensors into automotive seats and interior systems through partnerships with other Tier-1 suppliers.

Brighter Signals’ patented sensors, crafted from fabrics , deliver unprecedented levels of speed, accuracy, durability, and affordability .They measure force, weight, position, movement, and proximity in real time- without post-processing. The sensors, which can also differentiate between humans and objects, are lightweight, recyclable and sustainably produced, combining performance with environmental stewardship.

Brighter Signals’ technology is disrupting the in-cabin sensing market with a superior alternative to radar and other legacy systems. The sensors have undergone more than three years of extensive testing by leading global carmakers , confirming their accuracy, reliability, and durability. Initial applications will support OEMs in meeting new safety regulations in Europe, China and the US, while comfort and intelligent interior features are expected to see rapid uptake—especially as Chinese EV makers rapidly redefine consumer expectations.

Andrew Klein, CEO of Brighter Signals B.V. , said: “This partnership with CAIP is a major step forward in our mission to bring tactile sensing into every car and every factory. CAIP’s global manufacturing footprint and deep expertise in automotive systems will help us scale production rapidly and deliver our technology to OEMs worldwide. Together, we are enabling safer, more intelligent and more sustainable mobility - and driving the next wave of industrial automation.”

Mr. Xiaochun Luo, CEO of CAIP , said: “CAIP has built its reputation as a trusted Tier‑1 supplier by helping our OEM customers adopt breakthrough innovations at scale. Brighter Signals’ tactile sensing technology represents a true paradigm shift in occupant classification and in‑cabin intelligence. We are excited to work with Brighter Signals to integrate this technology into seats and interior systems for leading automakers worldwide.”

With this partnership, Brighter Signals and CAIP are poised to redefine how vehicles sense and respond to the world around them, making them safer and more comfortable for all occupants.

About Brighter Signals

Brighter Signals BV ( https://www.brightersignals.com ) offers a flexible, high‑depth, multi‑modal tactile sensing platform protected by foundational patents, developed over more than a decade and supported by over $2 million in research funding. The company’s fabric-based sensors capture detailed pressure gradients in real time, delivering touch sensitivity, context-awareness, and environmental sustainability all in one. Backed by Antler and based in Amsterdam, BrighterSignals is actively engaged with top automotive and robotics OEMs and select Tier‑1 suppliers to bring its next-generation sensing technology to real-world applications.

About CAIP

Jiangsu Changshu Automotive Trim Group Co., Ltd. (CAIP) ( https://www.caip.com.cn/en ) was established in 1996 and has been listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange since 2017. As a leading provider of cockpit systems and automotive interior trim, CAIP delivers integrated services, from project and mold design to manufacturing, testing, verification, and cost optimization, for global automobile manufacturers. The company employs more than 10,000 people and operates over 40 facilities in China and Europe.

Media Contacts
andy@brightersignals.com
+31 6 236 603 1 0

fansifeng@caip.com.cn

+86 15962320430

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Brighter Signals与江苏常熟汽饰集团 (CAIP) 宣布达成协议，建立战略合作伙伴关系，为汽车和机器人制造下一代触觉传感技术

荷兰阿姆斯特丹 / 中国常熟 --- 2025年10月7日 --- 织物触觉传感技术先驱 BrighterSignals B.V.今日宣布与全球汽车行业领先的一级供应商 江苏常熟汽饰集团 (CAIP) 达成协议，建立战略合作伙伴关系。根据协议，CAIP将在其中国工厂生产 BrighterSignals 突破性的触觉传感器，并于2026年将生产扩展至新的欧洲工厂。该协议预计将于本季度晚些时候在中国进行的签约仪式上最终确定。

两家公司还将通过与其他一级供应商的合作，共同将Brighter Signals的传感器集成到汽车座椅和内饰系统中。

Brighter Signals 的专利传感器采用织物制成，提供了前所未有的 速度、精度、耐用性和廉价性 。它们可实时测量 力、重量、位置、运动和接近度 ，无需后处理。这些传感器还能区分人类和物体，具有轻量、可回收和可持续生产的特点，兼顾了性能与环境管理。

Brighter Signals 的技术正在颠覆座舱内传感市场，为雷达和其他传统系统提供了卓越的替代方案。该传感器已通过 全球领先汽车制造商超三年的广泛测试 ，证实了其准确性、可靠性和耐用性。初始应用将支持汽车制造商满足欧洲、中国和美国的新安全法规，同时舒适性和智能内饰功能预计将迅速增长——特别是在 中国电车 制造商快速重新定义消费者的期待之际。

Brighter Signals B.V. 首席执行官 Andrew Klein 表示：“与 CAIP 的合作是我们将触觉传感带入每辆汽车和每个工厂的使命迈出的重要一步。CAIP的全球制造布局和深厚的汽车系统专业知识将帮助我们快速扩大生产规模，并将我们的技术交付给全球汽车制造商。我们正在共同实现更安全、更智能、更可持续的出行——并推动下一波工业自动化浪潮。”

CAIP首席执行官罗小春先生 表示：“CAIP 通过帮助我们的主机厂客户大规模应用突破性创新，建立了值得信赖的一级供应商的声誉。BrighterSignals的触觉传感技术实现了乘员识别分类和舱内智能领域真正的范式变革。我们很高兴与 BrighterSignals 合作，将这项技术集成到全球领先汽车制造商的座椅和内饰系统中。”

通过此次合作，Brighter Signals和CAIP将重新定义车辆感知和响应周围世界的方式。使它们对所有乘员更安全、更舒适。

关于 Brighter Signals

Brighter Signals BV(https://www.brightersignals.com) 提供一个灵活、高深度、多模态的触觉传感平台，该平台受基础专利保护，历经十数年开发，获得超过2 百万美元的研究资金支持。该公司的织物传感器可实时捕获详细的压力梯度，同时提供触觉灵敏度、情境感知和环境可持续性。Brighter Signals 由 Antler Venture Capital支持，总部位于阿姆斯特丹，正积极与顶级汽车和机器人制造厂商以及精选的一级供应商合作，将下一代传感技术带入现实应用。

关于CAIP

江苏常熟汽饰集团股份有限公司(CAIP)( https://www.caip.com )成立于1996年，并于2017年在上海证券交易所上市。作为座舱系统和汽车内饰的领先供应商，CAIP为全球汽车制造商提供从项目开发到模具设计再到制造、测试、验证和成本优化的一体化服务。公司拥有10,000 多名员工，在中国和欧洲运营有40多家工厂。

Brighter Signals is proud to be chosen for CDL-Milan

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:20:24 GMT

Brighter Signals is proud to have been selected to be part of the first ever Creative Destruction Lab Milan Cohorts

Brighter Signals is proud to have been selected as one of the few startups to be part of the first ever CDL Milan – Advanced Manufacturing Cohort

Only the most promising ventures from a deep pool of impressive applicants were chosen, we are delighted to now be part of this community which includes corporate partners and mentors, all of whom are there to help us and the other startups accelerate and reach our commercial potential.

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organisation that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, early-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Mentorship is the program's foundation, providing guidance and expertise from volunteer mentors who have started, operated, scaled and exited technology businesses.

The program is delivered over a 8-month term and it will be important for us to connect with other mentors and founders, to share and learn together. We are confident that the likelihood of our success has just increased another notch by being invited into this program and being so close to such experienced experts that are relevant to our field.

Founded back in 2012 the CDL program has now expanded to six locations in Europe, 3 in the USA, 5 in Canada and one in Australia. This will be the first Milan based CDL program. The program kicks off with a face-2-face session at the SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan.

Since its inception, companies that have participated in the CDL program have created more than $51 billion CAD in equity value.

#BuildSomethingMassive.

Come and Visit us at InCabin - The ecosystem event for the automotive industry

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:58:40 GMT

Come and Visit us at In Cabin

InCabin is the go to conference for all thing inside the car. Together with its sister event AutoSens they create a meeting point for a unique community of OEM, Tier 1 and automative engineers working on safety, comfort and efficiency solutions for current and future in-cabin applications.

With the ever increasing bar that NCAP is raising it is going to be more and more difficult to obtain a 5-star safety rating. The market needs are evolving so the industry, technology and innovation are rising to the challenge.

Brighter Signals will be shoulder to shoulder with existing industry giants. The exhibition floor will be packed with the latest safety solutions and in-cabin experiences. You can find us at booth 129.

Come and say hi, see our latest demonstrations and technical integration into Tier 1 supplier solutions.

We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Selected to Pitch at Women Invest EU Matchmaking

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:11:09 GMT

Brighter Signals chosen as one of 10 startups from Europe

Brighter Signals has been selected to pitch at one of the most highly coveted investor events of 2025 - The Women Invest EU

After a competitive selection process, we were chosen as one of 10 European startups

to present to over 60 early stage investors

The 5minute pitches will take place on Wednesday 24th of September. The startups will present online to the audience of hand picled investors. A judging panel of 5 experienced investors will be grilling each startup on their potential impact and numbers.

The ten selected startups are

1️⃣ atmo provides an AI-powered platform to help banks decarbonize agricultural loan portfolios by streamlining farmer data and recommending verified regenerative agriculture projects.

2️⃣ Brighter Signals BV has pioneered high density multi-modal tactile sensors that enable accurate, real-time measurements.

3️⃣ Enhanced Fertility created an AI-powered diagnostic platform to greatly speed up fertility treatment by automating onboarding, diagnosis and coding.

4️⃣ Fluxy.One — AI-powered EU Compliance Platform for Digital Product Passports (DPP) ’s AI-first platform generates compliant, multilingual Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in under a minute, allowing manufacturers and importers to meet requirements.

5️⃣ FINDS provides a cutting-edge platform that automates planning, allocation and pricing to reduce overstock and waste in the fashion and beauty industries.

6️⃣ Hexagone AI helps enterprises unlock sensitive data for AI and analytics through adaptive multimodal anonymization agents.

7️⃣ PURR.AI is developing AGELESS, an AI-powered platform accelerating drug discovery for age-related brain diseases.

8️⃣ Ruby Care provides the first OS and AI Copilot for oncology support, streamlining care for cancer survivors.

9️⃣ Usyncro - Blockchain & AI Tech 4 Logistics ‘s platform synchronizes logistics and documents in real time, connecting all actors efficiently and transparently.

Check out our article to learn more about the startups and discover how you can join us �� https://lnkd.in/d6svPFZM

Brighter Signals Presenting at Automatica

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:42:42 GMT

Come and see us at Automatica

Do you want to be one of the first to hear what we are launching? Come and see us presenting Brighter Signals for the first time at Automatica.

Brighter Signals BV will be pitching live for the first time publicly at automatica on Friday 27th June between 9.30-10.30am, and available at Booth 8 in the Startup Arena throughout Automatica 2025

Come and see our exciting new tactile sensors, designed to help you automate your tasks in a quarter of the time. We will also be showcasing our revolutionary new automotive occupancy classification system.

We are pioneering a new class in tactile sensing capabilities. Enabling machines and objects to sense and measure touch. From automotive interiors to training robots to non-invasive monitoring of vital signs, our sensors will soon become part of every car, factory and hospital.

We are excited to show you our work and connect directly with the automation, robotics, AI, and photonics community.

Come say hello, see our vision in action, and let's talk about the future!
�� 24-27 June 2025
�� Start-Up Arena | Booth 8 | Hall B4 |Messe München
��️ Check out the full agenda led by FundingBox & get a free pass: https://lnkd.in/eiEZGkai

Brighter Signal Emerges from Stealth Mode

andy@brightersignals.com (Andrew Klein) — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 17:57:42 GMT

New High-Depth Tactile Sensor Platform Redefines Touch Sensing Across Robotics, Automotive, and Healthcare

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