Ntention
Ntention is a Norwegian robotics UX company that builds extended reality interfaces and sensor wearables enabling intuitive, gesture-based control of drones and robots for space, energy, and construction enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Ntention does
Ntention AS is a privately held Norwegian technology company founded in 2016, operating from Nesbru and Oslo with a team of 1-10 employees. The company builds a natural user interface (NUI) framework that enables intuitive, gesture-based control of drones, ground robots, aquatic robots, and digital twins through extended reality (XR) systems, including VR/AR headsets and sensor-equipped wearables.
Its core technology portfolio comprises the XR Interface for drone path planning (a VR interface with object-based interaction, HandMenu controls, World-in-Miniature navigation, and ROS integration), the Astronaut Smart Glove (a sensor glove tested with NASA for controlling drones and displays in spacesuit environments), and Nexus UX (VR software for non-expert participation in construction planning). These products sit on top of proprietary interaction design IP and ROS interoperability. The technology differentiator emphasized across sources is accessibility for non-expert users, with object-based point-and-click control replacing traditional joystick and menu-based systems.
Ntention operates a B2B enterprise services and product model targeting space agencies, energy companies, and construction firms. Revenue derives primarily from professional services (custom product development, robotics UX consulting using a design-thinking methodology, and funded R&D), with potential future technology licensing noted. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-driven per project. Customer acquisition relies on direct enterprise engagement, industry conferences, research collaborations with institutes such as IFE Halden and Mechatronics Innovation Lab, and demonstration projects including the 2019 NASA Haughton-Mars Project field test on Devon Island.
Ntention firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ntention
- Legal name
- Ntention AS
- Website
- https://ntention.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ntention is a Norwegian robotics UX company that builds extended reality interfaces and sensor wearables enabling intuitive, gesture-based control of drones and robots for space, energy, and construction enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ntention industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Robotics User Experience Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Industrial Design Services (541420), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains (MPAFAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Twins & Scenario-Based Systems Training (Equipment/Process Simulators) (EDAFAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Ntention is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ntention business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Development Services: Custom interface development for robotics and digital twin control, tailored to specific industry needs. Projects include requirements gathering, design thinking workshops, prototyping, and implementation support.
- Robotics UX Consulting: Design-thinking approach consulting services helping companies integrate robotics into workflows by mapping processes and gathering insights from end-users and planners.
- Research and Development: Internal and funded research focusing on usability in extended reality, 3D manipulation, and human factors. Funded by regional research funds and industry partners.
- Technology Licensing/Product Sales: Potential future licensing of proprietary technologies such as the VR interface software, smart glove systems, and Nexus platform for broader market adoption across industries.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Ntention product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ntention builds natural user interface (NUI) software and sensor-wearable systems that enable intuitive, gesture-based control of robots, drones, and digital twins. Its core offerings include the XR Interface for drone path planning (VR-based drone control software integrated with ROS), the Astronaut Smart Glove (a sensor glove for hands-free drone/robot control demonstrated on NASA's Haughton-Mars Project), and the Nexus UX VR platform for construction planning. These products are complemented by three service pillars: Product Development (custom interface engineering), Robotics UX (design-thinking consulting for robotics workflow integration), and Research (applied research in XR usability and human factors).
Product overview
Ntention offers a unified portfolio of robotics user interface solutions centered around natural user interfaces (NUIs) and extended reality (XR) technologies. The core offerings consist of two interconnected products: the XR Interface for drone path planning (a VR-based interface enabling intuitive drone control through gesture-based waypoint manipulation) and the Astronaut Smart Glove (a sensor glove for controlling drones and robots via hand gestures). These products are supported by three service pillars: Product Development (building interfaces for robot/digital twin interaction), Robotics UX (integrating robotics into workflows using design-thinking), and Research (internal research in extended reality, 3D manipulation, and human factors). The company positions its solutions across industries including space, energy, and construction, enabling users without robotics expertise to operate robotics as easily as point and click.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nexus UX: VR software for construction planning that lets anyone preview and explore digital models of construction projects.
- Astronaut Smart Glove
- Ntention Labs
Products and services
- XR Interface for drone path planning A VR-based user interface that enables users to plan a drone's flight path in immersive 3D environments. Features object-based interaction for waypoint creation/modification/deletion, a hand menu (HandMenu) for creating waypoints and accessing settings by looking at the palm, and World-in-Miniature (WIM) navigation for intuitive 3D environment exploration. Integrates with the Robot Operating System (ROS) to communicate with real robotic systems. Built for enterprise users in the energy and drone operations sectors who need to plan flights even when the drone is out of sight.
- Astronaut Smart Glove A sensor-based wearable glove that enables astronauts (and other operators) to control drones, robots, and displays using simple hand movements. Developed and field-tested for human space exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, in partnership with the NASA Haughton-Mars Project (HMP), SETI Institute, and Collins Aerospace. Use cases include drone scouting, searching, and gathering samples during planetary surface missions.
- Nexus UX VR Software A VR software (branded 'Nexus UX') that enables anyone, even without training, to join early-stage construction planning. Users can preview and explore digital models of construction projects in immersive VR, removing the barrier of 2D screens and specialist 3D tools. Targeted at construction companies and project developers who need non-expert stakeholders to participate in design review and planning sessions.
- Product Development Services A tailored custom interface development service that builds natural user interfaces enabling intuitive control of robots and digital twins. Engagements cover requirements gathering, design-thinking workshops, prototyping, and implementation support, with the goal of making robot operation as easy as point-and-click for non-expert users. Sold via direct enterprise engagement to companies in space, energy, and construction.
- Robotics UX Consulting A design-thinking consulting service that helps companies integrate robotics and digital models into their workflows. The team maps current and future processes and gathers insights from both end-users and planners to ensure that robotics technology delivers operational value rather than sitting unused. Sold to enterprises in energy, construction, space, and adjacent robotics-intensive verticals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully tested astronaut smart glove with NASA in 2019 field test on Devon Island for future space exploration missions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ntention
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ntention technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Ntention partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IFE Halden (Institute for Energy Technology)coreProject partner in XR drone path planning research. Collaborated on designing and prototyping VR user interface for drone control applications in energy sector.
- Mechatronics Innovation Lab (MIL)coreProject partner in XR drone path planning research. Contributed to mechatronics expertise and robotic system integration for VR interface development.
- NASA Haughton-Mars ProjectcoreParticipated in successful field testing of astronaut smart glove for future human exploration of Moon, Mars and beyond. Testing conducted on Devon Island with concept spacesuit built by Collins Aerospace. Controls drone for scouting, searching, and gathering samples as intended use cases.
- SETI InstitutecoreCollaborating organization on Haughton-Mars Project. Published official news release announcing the astronaut smart glove field test success.
- Mars InstituteminorCollaborating organization on Haughton-Mars Project led by Dr. Pascal Lee, planetary scientist.
- NASA Ames Research CenterminorCollaborating organization on the NASA Haughton-Mars Project partnership.
- Collins AerospacecoreBuilt the concept spacesuit where Ntention's interaction system was integrated and tested during Haughton-Mars Project field test.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ntention competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Spatial: Spatial provides a cross-device XR collaboration platform for enterprises; both companies are pushing intuitive spatial interfaces to non-expert professional users.
- FundamentalVR: FundamentalVR builds immersive simulation and haptics-based training experiences using digital twins, conceptually parallel to Ntention's design-thinking approach to human-robot interfaces.
- Pixelynx: Pixelynx builds interactive XR music and gaming experiences with shared spatial interactions, sharing the broader XR interaction-layer DNA with Ntention's robotics interface work.
Direct peers
- SYNTHETIC: SYNTHETIC builds shared XR workspace tooling for industrial 3D workflows and robotics interaction, directly competing with Ntention in intuitive XR-based robot and digital-twin control.
- HoloBuilder (OpenSpace): HoloBuilder, now part of OpenSpace, offers VR-based construction progress capture and planning workflows comparable to Ntention's Nexus UX construction-planning product.
- Scope AR: Scope AR delivers AR-based remote assistance and digital-twin overlays for industrial operations, overlapping with Ntention's natural user interface approach to robot and asset control.
Broad incumbents
- RealWear: RealWear is an established industrial head-mounted wearable vendor for hands-free worker assistance in energy, manufacturing, and field service, an adjacent category to Ntention's glove-based robotics control.
- Upskill (TeamViewer Frontline): Upskill, now TeamViewer Frontline, provides industrial AR workforce software for guided workflows and remote expert, a broader incumbent in the XR-for-operations category where Ntention operates.
- PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk offers commercial drone data and operational software; while focused on drone analytics rather than immersive control, it competes for similar energy and infrastructure drone budgets.
Regional players
- FlytBase: FlytBase provides drone fleet automation and operations software, addressing the same energy/infrastructure drone use cases Ntention targets but with a 2D web-first stack rather than XR-native controls.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ntention social profiles
Digital presenceNtention financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ntention leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Ntention funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ntention M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ntention
What does Ntention do?
Ntention builds natural user interface (NUI) software and sensor-wearable systems that enable intuitive, gesture-based control of robots, drones, and digital twins. Its core offerings include the XR Interface for drone path planning (VR-based drone control software integrated with ROS), the Astronaut Smart Glove (a sensor glove for hands-free drone/robot control demonstrated on NASA's Haughton-Mars Project), and the Nexus UX VR platform for construction planning. These products are complemented by three service pillars: Product Development (custom interface engineering), Robotics UX (design-thinking consulting for robotics workflow integration), and Research (applied research in XR usability and human factors).
Is Ntention a public or private company?
Ntention is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ntention founded?
Ntention was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ntention based?
Ntention is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Ntention make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Development Services are the primary driver. The others are robotics UX Consulting, research and Development and technology Licensing/Product Sales.
Who are Ntention's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Spatial, FundamentalVR and Pixelynx. Direct peers are SYNTHETIC, HoloBuilder (OpenSpace) and Scope AR. Broad incumbents are RealWear, Upskill (TeamViewer Frontline) and PrecisionHawk. FlytBase is listed as a regional player.
Does Ntention have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ntention.
What industry is Ntention in?
Ntention's product category is Robotics User Experience Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAFAF, XR/AR/VR/MR Development Frameworks & Toolchains, with a secondary code of EDAFAJAJ, Digital Twins & Scenario-Based Systems Training (Equipment/Process Simulators). Its NAICS code is 541512 and its SIC code is 7373.