[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] ROBOTIS(108490), a South Korean company specializing in robotic actuators, is expanding its customer base into sectors that require high reliability, such as defense and aerospace. As demand grows rapidly in areas including defense, aerospace, and humanoid robots, the company is also accelerating efforts to expand its production capacity.

According to the information technology (IT) industry on the 20th, ROBOTIS is supplying robotic actuators to U.S. defense contractor R and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), among others.

ROBOTIS’ flagship product, “Dynamixel,” is an all-in-one actuator that integrates a motor, gearbox, controller, sensors, and communication functions into a single module. It is a core component that controls the position, speed, and force of each robot joint’s movement and exchanges relevant data.

In humanoid robots, it serves as the drive system that moves the joints of the arms, legs, and fingers, while in robotic arms, medical robots, space robots, and defense equipment, it is responsible for precise, repetitive movements.

Dynamixel was utilized in research related to “Astrobie,” a free-flying robot for the International Space Station (ISS) developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center. It has been confirmed that the Dynamixel AX-12A was used in the initial prototypical grasping arm, while the Dynamixel XM430-W210 was used in the subsequently unveiled grasping arm design.

The defense and aerospace industries have higher component reliability standards than consumer products. Defense equipment, such as missiles and air defense systems, must minimize malfunctions even in extreme environments, while space robots must simultaneously meet various constraints, including weight, power consumption, durability, and communication stability.

Outside the aerospace sector, Disney’s entertainment robotics initiatives stand out. ROBOTIS has secured both NASA and Disney as major clients in the North American market. Disney Research and Walt Disney Engineering have publicly demonstrated applications of Dynamixel while developing character-based bipedal robots and performance robots.

Applications for ROBOTIS actuators are also rapidly expanding in the field of Physical AI. Stanford University’s Mobile ALOHA is a research platform that combines remote control of both arms with mobility control, enabling robots to learn complex tasks in everyday environments such as kitchens, cabinets, and elevators.

Google DeepMind has also expanded its ALOHA-based research on dual-arm robots, showcasing examples of robots learning to perform delicate tasks such as tying shoelaces, hanging shirts, and organizing kitchens. As the model of robots collecting data in real-world environments and using it for further learning becomes more widespread, the importance of actuators—which handle precise motion and feedback—is expected to grow even more.

Research on medical and rehabilitation robots is another notable example of widespread adoption. In research on exoskeleton robots for gait assistance, the Dynamixel MX-106 was used as the joint actuator. In prosthetic hand research, Dynamixel motors were also utilized to enable the bending motions of all five fingers.

ROBOTIS, a robotics specialist founded in 1999, has been operating its actuator business for over 20 years since introducing Dynamixel—an actuator specifically designed for robots—in 2003. Initially, they were primarily used in educational and research robots and as platforms for robotics competitions, but recently, their applications have expanded to include humanoids, robotic hands, collaborative robots, automation equipment, aerospace, and defense.

The issue is production capacity. As competition in the development of humanoids and physical AI intensifies, demand for actuators is rapidly straining existing production capacity. ROBOTIS’ U.S. sales page notes that delivery times for some Dynamixel-Y models can take up to six months. In effect, demand from global robotics companies and research institutions seeking to secure high-performance actuators has reached a point where it is outpacing supply.

ROBOTIS is also accelerating its expansion efforts. According to industry and securities market sources, ROBOTIS’ actuator shipments are expected to increase from approximately 220,000 units last year to between 400,000 and 500,000 units this year. The company is working to complete its production facility in Uzbekistan in the second half of the year to meet global demand.

HYUNDAI MOTOR SECURITIES analyzed that ROBOTIS plans to secure an annual actuator production capacity of 300,000 units by early 2026, add another 200,000 units in the fourth quarter of the same year, and expand its production capacity to over 5 million units by 2031.

Actuators are core components that determine both the cost and performance of the humanoid robot industry. As the number of joints in a robot increases, so does the number of actuators required. As humanoid robots and Physical AI move beyond laboratories and into actual industrial settings, ROBOTIS’ Dynamixel is increasingly likely to be reevaluated as a key component in the “robot joint” market.