Iris Dynamics Ltd.

Iris Dynamics Ltd. is a privately held Canadian company based in Victoria, British Columbia that designs, manufactures and distributes intelligent linear electric motors. Its ORCA Series smart linear motors are fully integrated actuators that build drivers, controllers, encoders and force/position sensing into a single sealed unit, removing the need for external load cells, encoders and controllers. The motors are backdrivable, run on low-voltage DC, use advanced magnetic construction for cog-free motion, and are rated IP68 for harsher environments. An integrated kinematics controller allows multiple programmable motions to be triggered without an external controller, and units can be configured over USB or operated through more traditional interfaces. The product line also includes ORCA-EIP, the IO SmartHub interface module, the Raven-6DoF motion development platform, software tools and legacy products such as the DCA Series motor.

The company positions its technology around precise force control, positioning performance, efficiency, simplified installation and long service life. Applications span test and measurement, industrial automation and robotics, manufacturing, aerospace and defence, mining, (semi-)autonomous systems and mobile robots, packaging and processing, marine, academic research, and VR simulation and entertainment. Reported deployments include a three-degree-of-freedom end-effector rehabilitation cobot at Polytechnique's Laboratory for Assistive and Rehabilitation Technologies (POLAR) using the ORCA-3-12V (8.1 m/s speed, 101.6 mm stroke, integrated sensing), and an active spring damping motion platform for neonatal transportation developed with the National Research Council, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Carleton University. Company materials state its motion control products have been used by aerospace organizations including NASA, the FAA, Boeing, Airbus Perlan and Lockheed-Martin for demonstration, training and R&D, and that it sponsors electromagnetic research at two Canadian universities.

All products are manufactured at the company's Victoria, British Columbia facility, with components sourced from North American suppliers where possible, and the operation is described as ISO 9001:2015 certified and vertically integrated with in-house design, engineering and production.

Founding story

Iris Dynamics was created in 2012 in Victoria, British Columbia to bring innovation to the aviation training industry, and has always been located in that city. The company patented a class of variable force-feedback motion control systems intended to improve the human-machine interface, and its first product, the Dragonfly Flight Yoke, was launched with the help of a successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign.

Business model

Iris Dynamics manufactures its motion products in-house and sells them directly to OEMs, value-added resellers, machine builders, system integrators, research labs and universities, bundling pre- and post-sales engineering support. It also pursues integration and OEM partnerships, offering training and engineering support to partner firms deploying linear motor, force control and data collection systems.

Revenue comes from direct sales of hardware — ORCA Series smart linear motors, interface modules such as the IO SmartHub and ORCA-EIP, and the Raven-6DoF motion platform — plus engineering and support services. One third-party directory estimates annual revenue of approximately $2.0 million.

Traction

The company reports deployments across aerospace, mining, test and measurement, industrial automation and VR/entertainment, including a theme park attraction deployment in 2019 and the Richmond Speedskating Oval bobsled experience in 2015. Named research collaborations include Polytechnique's POLAR lab rehabilitation cobot and a neonatal transport motion platform with the National Research Council, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Carleton University. Company materials state its products have been used by NASA, the FAA, Boeing, Airbus Perlan and Lockheed-Martin for demonstration, training and R&D. Third-party directories list 21-50 employees, with one listing 15 identified staff across engineering, sales and marketing.

Latest developments

In January 2025 the company added a PWM (pulse-width modulation) radio control interface for ORCA Series motors, and in March 2025 announced a 30% price reduction on the RAVEN-6DoF motion development platform introduced in fall 2024. It was featured in the April 2025 edition of Manufacturing in Focus magazine. During 2025 it developed new interface modules, contributed to research projects and exhibited at trade shows including PDX 2025. Jeff More was appointed Chief Executive Officer effective January 5, 2026 (announced February 25, 2026), and the company exhibited at Automate 2026 in Chicago with a new booth design.