Yamaha has a strategic interest in developing these types of robotics systems, which prompted the investment from the firm’s skunkworks and investment shop out of Silicon Valley. New Zealand firm Invert Robotics is in talks with Dow Chemical and BASF over potential markets for its inspection robot , which uses powerful suction cups to climb walls . It has raised $ 8.8 m in financing for the device 's commercialisation , which has almost unlimited applications according to MD Neil Fletcher . It faces competition from Pittsburgh - based Gecko Robotics , which recently closed a $ 9 m round and has developed a similar inspection robot that uses high - powered magnets .
New Zealand firm Invert Robotics is in talks with Dow Chemical and BASF over potential markets for its inspection robot , which uses powerful suction cups to climb walls . It has raised $ 8.8 m in financing for the device 's commercialisation , which has almost unlimited applications according to MD Neil Fletcher . It faces competition from Pittsburgh - based Gecko Robotics , which recently closed a $ 9 m round and has developed a similar inspection robot that uses high - powered magnets .