The Ask: Tekuma – Seeking Device Partners

Tekuma is a robotics hardware startup from Sydney and currently based in Adelaide, South Australia. Right now, we’re looking for introductions rather than funds. We need help getting our product out into new industries and applications. If you know anyone that wants to give their customers a friendlier control experience of any sort of remotely operated device, please, get in touch.

Tekuma’s unique tactile control orb completely revolutionises remote control systems for drones, robots, and other devices, providing the user with a force-based, six-degrees-of-freedom controller that can be operated with as little as two fingers. It is intuitive, universal, and robust, reducing the time, cost, personnel, and training required to get the job done.

The robust system is completely portable and can be integrated into any device that needs to be controlled with more than two degrees of motion. It can replace up to 3 standard joysticks, enabling easier, more accessible control of drones, robots, underwater rovers, and other remotely operated devices. We have the most experience in controlling drones, robots, and rovers but have also tested it with robotic arms, cameral gimbals, and other peripherals. We could see it being used for forklifts, virtual reality navigation, remote surgery, and more, but we need the right partners to do it.

We’ve tested our technology with thousands of new pilots. From 3 years old to 83, all have been able to pick up the device and fly within minutes. Even users with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and those with limited dexterity were able to fly a mini Parrot drone with just two fingers. We are really inspired by these experiences to see our technology giving more people access to controlling devices for entertainment, work, and daily needs.

We recently received an Australian Federal Government Boosting Female Founders Grant which is allowing us to tool and manufacture our solution in South Australia. Our primary customer, UnderseaROV, developed the ROVorb controller, exclusively for underwater rovers, utilising our control orb technology. They’ve been using it out in the field and selling it on to their clients bundled with their rovers throughout 2020 and 2021. It has enabled children in hospitals to explore harbors and reefs through the Starlight Foundation, been trialed with NSW Police, and conducted marine exploration, biosecurity, and research.

The Ask:

What we’re looking for more partners like UnderseaROV. We want companies that are making devices and want to provide their customers with a friendlier control experience, companies that want to be ahead of their competitors when it comes to user experience.

Email:  Annette@tekuma.tech if you can assist with these introductions.