[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd.(455900)is modularizing the actuator technology it has been applying to wearable robots and making it available to robot developers and research institutions. The company plans to support the expansion of the robotics industry ecosystem by incorporating the precision control functions necessary for developing physical AI robots into these actuator modules.

ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. announced on the 29th that it has unveiled “Phact,” an actuator module designed for physical AI.

“Phact” is a modular product developed by ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. based on the actuator technology the company has accumulated through the development of wearable robots. Actuators are core components that generate a robot’s movements, and their importance is growing as competition in the development of humanoid and physical AI robots intensifies.

The development of this product was led by Gong Gyeong-cheol, Director of the Future Technology Institute at ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. Director Gong is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST and an expert who has researched actuator control technology for over 20 years. He has conducted research on actuator technologies capable of precise torque control, such as serial elastic actuators and quasi-direct drive (QDD).

Since wearable robots must naturally assist human movements, precise torque control is crucial. In this process, ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. has refined technology that utilizes actuators like sensors to read subtle human movement intentions and reduces mechanical friction through Active Friction Cancellation (AFC).

FACT is equipped with the physical intelligence functions necessary for developing Physical AI robots. It includes advanced control algorithms such as a model-based torque estimator, dynamic characteristic compensator, active friction cancellation, impedance compensator, and motion speed estimator.

By applying a back-EMF compensator and an ultra-high-speed current control algorithm, it achieves current control performance with a bandwidth of 2.5 kHz. It also incorporates risk management features such as an active temperature limit algorithm for safety and a motion limit algorithm to prevent excessive movements.

The module also features a built-in 6-axis inertial sensor that measures acceleration and angular velocity. This allows the system to estimate not only the rotational motion of the joints but also the overall motion state of the robot. The company explained that this feature can be utilized in AI-based robot control, which recognizes the robot’s overall motion as a state and executes desired actions accordingly.

ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. also provides a web-based development environment called “Fact Studio.” Users can perform complex tasks—such as identifying physical constants and configuring controller and safety code—through automated processes. The platform also supports developers with ideas for robot structural design and AI algorithms, enabling them to develop Physical AI robots of their desired configuration by adjusting key parameters.

With support from the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Promotion, ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. is offering an initial limited batch of 100 units free of charge to robot development companies and research institutes. After that, the robots will be available for purchase through the Physical AI collaboration platform “OnePi.”

Kong Kyung-chul, Director of ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd., added, “We will contribute to accelerating the entire robotics industry ecosystem by reducing waste caused by duplicate development of actuator technology among various robotics startups and research institutes, and by enabling companies to build robots that meet customer needs more quickly.”

Meanwhile, on the 3rd of next month, a 100-hour robot-building hackathon will be held, featuring robotics clubs from KAIST and Seoul National University, using ANGEL ROBOTICS Co., Ltd.’s actuator modules as the foundation.