Haply Robotics Secures $4.8 Million CAD Seed Round to Develop Tactile Tech Used for Surgical Training, Gaming | BetaKit
By Olivia Collette
Funds will go towards fine-tuning Haply’s Inverse3 device.
Montréal-based Haply Robotics has secured $4.8 million CAD ($3.5 million USD) in a seed round of funding led by BDC Capital’s Deep Tech Venture Fund.
Haply plans to use these funds to develop its haptic technology further for medical training and gamification, while also improving its robotic control and 3D interface. The round was also backed by an angel investor through their holding company, Spiritus Engineering.
“The device’s portability allows doctors or medical students to remotely collaborate.”
— Colin Gallacher, Haply
Haptic technology is used to transmit touch feedback through vibrations, sensations, and motion. When used in robotic or virtual surgical training, users can feel what it’s like to cut tissue, drill into the bone, or excise fat. In virtual medical simulations, touch feedback adds an important tactile dimension to the training while also eliminating any risk.
This round of funding will focus on developing Haply’s portable haptic device, the Inverse3. According to Haply co-founder Colin Gallacher, the Inverse3’s portability makes it unique in the market and more affordable. Similar technologies are often much larger and more costly, while the Inverse3 delivers high performance in a compact form.
“We can provide precise analytics about how a user is performing a procedural training task, how they compare to expert users, and how much they’ve improved over time,” Gallacher said. “The device’s portability allows doctors or medical students to remotely collaborate and maximizes accessibility as they’re able to take them from hospital to home in a backpack.”
In terms of gamification, the Inverse3 already works similarly to a game controller, allowing users’ hand gestures to manipulate the device and interact with virtual environments. Haply is also building video games for the medical field with partner FundamentalVR, a UK-based company whose multi-user simulations combine VR and haptic interactions.
Haply also plans to improve its robotic control and 3D content capabilities. This includes making the Inverse3 device more precise in transmitting user movements, removing hand tremors, and scaling certain motions. Haply is also exploring industrial applications, including remotely operating machinery.
“The future of content creation and consumption will be focused on making virtual experiences as immersive and photo realistic as possible.”
— Colin Gallacher
Haply’s ultimate goal is to make haptic technology accessible. This funding round will help the company improve processing power, graphics capability, and reduce processor size.
“This has allowed us to develop a device that’s a fraction of the size but even more powerful and precise than some of the biggest players in this field.”
Haply was founded in 2016 by Gallacher, Steve Ding, and Felix Desourdy. Its team combines international engineers, designers, and specialists in robotics, game development, and electronics.
Since its founding, Haply was awarded $750,000 from the federal government’s Innovative Solutions Canada haptic challenge program and received support from the McGill University Health Centre in the form of $500,000. It also raised $500,000 USD from an undisclosed angel investor in 2022.
