Forge provides high‑performance navigation sensors that deliver navigation‑grade precision even when GPS signals are unavailable or other sensors are degraded.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Autonomous vehicles and other unmanned systems rely on GPS and traditional inertial sensors, which can become unavailable or degraded in tunnels, urban canyons, or adverse weather, leading to loss of precise navigation. Existing high‑precision navigation sensors are often large, power‑hungry, and expensive, making them unsuitable for mass‑produced automotive applications.
Solution
Forge Photonics offers a fiber‑optic navigation sensor that delivers navigation‑grade precision using a novel phase‑tracking optical architecture built from mass‑produced telecommunications components. By replacing specialty optics with standard telecom parts, the sensor achieves up to ten‑fold reductions in cost, size, weight, and power while maintaining performance comparable to fiber‑optic gyroscopes. The design is engineered for automotive‑grade reliability and volume manufacturing, enabling straightforward integration into existing autonomous‑vehicle stacks. It provides accurate localisation when GPS signals are blocked or other sensors are compromised, supporting a range of platforms from commercial shuttles to mining trucks.
Target Audience
Primary customers are OEMs and Tier‑1 suppliers developing autonomous vehicles, industrial automation platforms, and defense systems that require reliable, high‑precision navigation in GPS‑challenged environments.
Features
- Phase‑tracking optical architecture that delivers navigation‑grade accuracy in a compact form factor
- Utilises off‑the‑shelf telecom components, reducing bill of materials by ~10×
- Low size, weight, and power (SWaP) suitable for automotive‑scale production
- All‑weather operation with robust performance under sensor degradation scenarios
- Automotive‑grade qualification and designed for seamless integration into existing navigation stacks
- Scalable manufacturing process aimed at high‑volume commercial deployment