.lumen will test humanoid and autonomous quadruped robots in Cluj, using the technology created for glasses intended for blind people

Cluj-based start-up .lumen plans to launch pilot projects with humanoid and quadruped robots in Cluj-Napoca in the first quarter of 2027. The company will adapt the navigation software developed for glasses designed for people who are blind, enabling the robots to move autonomously on streets and inside buildings.

The company’s founder and CEO, Cornel Amariei, told ZF IT Generation that .lumen will not manufacture the robots, but will equip them with software and artificial intelligence technology for navigation. The solution operates locally, without an internet connection and without prior mapping, including in areas with limited GPS access.

The technology could be used in delivery and logistics, including transporting orders to the recipient’s door. Amariei estimates that within one or two years, robot costs could make their use possible on a global scale. The company is already negotiating a contract worth millions of euros in Romania.

.lumen won the international Glovo Startup Campus 2026 competition, held in Barcelona from October 6 to 8, after prevailing in the Tech Catalyst Romania stage. The start-up has 60 engineers and scientists and has invested approximately seven million euros in artificial intelligence models and datasets. At the same time, it is preparing to deliver new batches of glasses in Romania and is negotiating expansion into markets such as Malta, Belgium and Germany.