South Korea unveils humanoid robot with 40-newton fingertip strength

South Korean robotics company WIRobotics has introduced ALLEX, a general-purpose humanoid robot designed for real-world applications emphasizing safety, versatility, and responsiveness. Unveiled at Korea University of Technology’s Robot Innovation Hub, ALLEX features 15 degrees of freedom enabling life-like movements and complex interactions. It can detect forces as small as 100 gram-force without tactile sensors and delivers a fingertip force of 40 Newtons. The robot’s arm system boasts significantly reduced friction and rotational inertia compared to conventional collaborative robots, along with a gravity compensation mechanism that allows it to perform high-load tasks efficiently without excess energy use or mechanical stress. ALLEX is lightweight, with its hand weighing about 700 grams and the shoulder assembly 5 kilograms, yet it can lift over 3 kilograms with one hand, offering a superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to many larger robots. ALLEX distinguishes itself from other humanoid robots like Figure 02 and Digit by prioritizing precision, dexterity, and safety over