Sensory Robotics Debuts Certified Fenceless Robot Safety System

Sensory Robotics is bringing its new SR-1 robot safety system to Automate 2026 in Chicago later this month, giving manufacturers a look at how industrial robots and people can work side-by-side without traditional safety fencing.

The Cincinnati startup said the SR-1 system uses 3D time-of-flight sensing to create a live virtual safety zone around an existing industrial robot. The system continuously monitors the area, allowing the robot to run at full speed when the space is clear, slow down as someone approaches, and stop immediately if someone or an object gets too close.

The company said the SR-1 recently received UL 1740 certification and was validated to Performance Level d, Category 3 under ISO 13849, certifications that manufacturers often require before using fenceless robotic systems on production lines.

Removing barriers

Physical fencing has long been standard around industrial robots because of the speed, weight, and force involved. While collaborative robots helped bring people and robots closer together, many manufacturers still rely on barriers to meet safety and insurance requirements.

Sensory Robotics says its system is designed to remove those barriers while still allowing manufacturers to use faster industrial robots.

“This kind of certification is one of the hardest things to achieve in our industry, and that is the point,” said Mark Gagas, chief operating officer of Sensory Robotics. “It is what lets a regulated manufacturer trust a fenceless system enough to put it on a real production line. The milestone is not the paperwork. It is the confidence it gives the people who work next to these machines every day.”

Live demos at Automate

The company was founded by CEO Chris Edwards and CTO Tristan Fogt, who previously worked in virtual reality gaming before shifting into industrial safety technology. Sensory Robotics has developed the SR-1 system within Cincinnati’s research and startup community and is now preparing for its first major public rollout at Automate.

Attendees at the show will be able to watch live demonstrations of the system operating without physical fencing around the robot cell.

“Industrial robots were never designed to work next to people. They were powerful machines built to be isolated,” said Chris Edwards, CEO of Sensory Robotics. “What has changed is that the industry now has both the technology and, just as importantly, the certified proof that people and robots can share a space safely.”