Lidar-maker Ouster buys vision company StereoLabs as sensor consolidation continues | TechCrunch

""the core component of safety-critical, capable systems,""

""incredibly savvy in adopting the cutting edge of AI models and edge compute.""

""It was a no brainer for us to go out and approach them and basically pitch this vision of working with us to become a unified sensing and perception platform - a tier one [supplier] for these advanced"

Ouster purchased StereoLabs for $35 million plus 1.8 million shares to combine lidar and camera-based perception capabilities. The acquisition adds StereoLabs' 15 years of camera hardware expertise and a foundational AI model that estimates depth from stereo cameras. The deal follows consolidation among perception-sensor suppliers, including MicroVision's purchase of Luminar lidar assets and Ouster's prior deals with Velodyne and Sense Photonics. The combined capabilities target growing markets for physical AI across robotics, drones, self-driving vehicles, and automated industrial systems. Ouster aims to move up the stack and deliver a unified sensing and perception platform as a tier-one supplier.

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