Unichem's Loomia Buy Accelerates Humanoid 'Skin' Market Entry

Loomia's Smart Skin Tactile Sensing Dev Kit includes capacitive and force-sensitive resistor sensors. Source: Loomia. Sensing 'skin' is among technologies in development for physical AI, including humanoid robots. Materials company Uni-Chem Co. acquired Loomia Technologies Inc. this month to enter the electronic skin market for humanoids and smart mobility interiors. Flexible electronics maker Loomia had partnered with R&Y Corp. to develop and mass-produce tactile sensors for robots. An executive at Unichem stated that Loomia's core technology will become the core hardware of the tactile revolution, driving robotics innovation beyond vision. The company aims to establish a North American market foothold and integrate smart materials into next-generation physical AI projects of leading global tech companies.

Loomia was founded in 2014 by Madison Maxey, a Stanford graduate. The Brooklyn-based company's LEL (Loomia Electronic Layer) technology bonds circuits to cloth and leather. It overcomes bending disconnection issues with a non-printed, low-resistance mesh. Loomia is part of NSF's HAND ERC. Last year, it launched a tactile sensing developer kit, now sold out. The company has worked with Festo and aims to make tactile sensors affordable for robotics developers.

Unichem, founded in 1976, produces natural leather goods for automotive interiors and fashion. The Ansan-based company said the acquisition accelerates its shift to smart materials for global automakers like Volkswagen. Unichem secured 100% of Loomia's shares for ~$6 million, paid in installments including $4M cash, $1M stock, and $1M earn-out. It expects to complete the acquisition by Oct. 15 via a reverse triangular merger. Unichem integrates 50 years of leather infrastructure with Loomia's LEL technology. Maxey and Kim Han-joo will serve as co-CEOs. All key engineers will be retained.