SiMa.ai & STIGA bring 'Physical AI' to robotic mowers

SiMa.ai has struck a strategic partnership with STIGA to supply machine-learning technology for robotic lawn mowers, as manufacturers push for more on-device processing and longer run times from battery-powered equipment.

The agreement covers STIGA's domestic and commercial robotic mower lines and centres on SiMa.ai's "Physical AI" platform, designed for low-latency, low-power edge devices.

Robotic lawn mowers already use a mix of sensors and software for navigation and obstacle handling. Across consumer robotics, vendors are also adding more on-device machine learning. Doing so reduces reliance on remote computing and can improve response times in areas with limited connectivity.

STIGA is a European manufacturer and distributor of garden machinery and equipment. The group sells more than one million gardening machines a year and operates in 87 countries. It employs more than 1,300 people and runs production plants in Italy, Slovakia and China.

SiMa.ai is based in San Jose, California. It develops machine-learning system-on-chip platforms and related software for edge computing, and markets its main product line under the Modalix name.

Edge Processing

SiMa.ai positions its technology as purpose-built for machine-learning workloads on edge devices. Under the partnership, STIGA plans to use the platform for real-time processing in its robotic mowers, linking the approach to lower power consumption-a core constraint for battery-powered consumer products.

"Physical AI" is a term several vendors use for systems in which software models process sensor inputs and generate actions in the physical world. In lawn care, that can include recognising obstacles, adjusting routes, reacting to terrain changes and making decisions without relying on cloud services.

Financial terms, product pricing and unit volumes were not disclosed. The companies also did not say which STIGA models will integrate the SiMa.ai platform first, or when products will reach the market.

Energy efficiency is a key differentiator in this category. Robotic mowers must balance compute needs with battery size, overall weight and heat. More onboard processing can increase power draw, affecting run time and charging cycles, while vendors remain under pressure to keep products within consumer price ranges.

Product Scope

STIGA sells equipment across several brands, including STIGA, Alpina, Mountfield, Castelgarden and Atco. It has expanded its autonomous range in recent years as the category matures and competition intensifies in Europe and other markets.

SiMa.ai described the platform as offering "ultra-low-latency" performance and a power profile suited to this type of device, and framed the deal as part of a broader shift toward embedding more intelligence directly in machines rather than relying on remote inference.

Krishna Rangasayee, founder and CEO of SiMa.ai, said: "This partnership represents a major step forward in delivering real-world AI to edge devices. By joining forces with STIGA, we're removing the traditional complexity of edge AI and empowering STIGA with solutions that perform effortlessly - without compromise."

Industry Context

The partnership reflects broader activity in edge AI hardware, as chip designers and software tool providers pursue design wins in consumer robotics. Lawn mowers are a prominent use case because they operate outdoors, face unpredictable conditions and must perform reliably without constant user supervision.

European manufacturers have also faced regulatory and customer scrutiny over safety and privacy. More local processing can reduce the need to transmit camera or sensor data off the device and can also lessen dependence on networks, which remain uneven in some residential areas.

STIGA said the work will focus on improving real-time decision-making and operational efficiency in its robotic mowers, positioning the partnership as a way to expand capabilities within battery constraints.

Sean Robinson, CEO of STIGA, said: "At STIGA, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Partnering with SiMa.ai allows us to push the boundaries of what autonomous machinery can achieve. By integrating Physical AI into our robotic lawn mowers, we're delivering a new benchmark of intelligence and performance. How the robot senses, decides, and operates lies firmly within STIGA's capabilities and expertise. The way these operations are delivered with low power consumption is where SiMa.ai technology truly excels - allowing the robots to achieve much more with the battery power available. This results in lighter, more efficient, and cost-effective intelligence. It's a great example of what two experts in their fields can achieve through engineering-driven collaboration. And the real winner is the robot owner, who gets significantly more use from their machine"

SiMa.ai is targeting a range of edge AI markets, including robotics, smart vision and autonomous systems, and described the STIGA partnership as part of that broader commercial push.