[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] KNR SYSTEMS Inc.(199430)has begun developing a heavy-load quadruped robot capable of carrying up to 1 metric ton of cargo and navigating rough terrain, including unpaved roads. The goal is to expand the use of quadruped robots—which have primarily been used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and facility inspections—to include the transport of heavy loads at construction, heavy industry, and military sites.

KNR SYSTEMS Inc. announced on the 19th that it is developing a “heavy-load quadruped robot” with a payload capacity of 1 metric ton. The company plans to unveil footage of the robot in action in the first quarter of next year.

The robot under development is designed to travel at speeds of over 10 km/h while carrying a maximum payload of 1 metric ton. It is being engineered to achieve a range of approximately 40 km on unpaved roads and up to approximately 90 km on paved roads.

“Hybrid rotary actuators,” capable of generating up to 2,000 Nm of torque, will be applied to the core joints. This drive system combines the advantages of electric motors and hydraulic actuators, designed to provide the power needed to move across rough terrain while supporting heavy cargo.

The robot employs a hybrid mode of transportation that utilizes both wheels and leg movement. On paved roads, it moves on wheels to reduce energy consumption, while in terrain inaccessible to vehicles, it uses its legs to navigate. The company explained that it designed the system to cut standby power consumption in the leg joints during wheeled operation, thereby increasing the range by up to 62% compared to existing methods. A patent application has been filed for the related core drive mechanism.

KNR SYSTEMS Inc. noted that current commercial quadruped robots are primarily used for relatively light tasks such as surveillance, reconnaissance, facility inspections, and data collection. The company plans to expand the industrial applications of quadruped robots by developing a platform capable of carrying heavy loads.

Key application areas include transporting materials and equipment at construction sites and moving heavy loads at heavy industry sites such as shipyards and power plants. The military is also exploring ways to use the robot to transport ammunition and artillery shells in terrain where tactical vehicles cannot access, as well as in environments difficult for humans to enter, such as disaster and fire response sites and nuclear power plant decommissioning.

This robot development utilizes the hybrid rotary actuator technology for robots developed by KNR SYSTEMS Inc. last year. The company also plans to unveil a “Super Humanoid” for heavy-duty tasks—currently under development with a target maximum payload of 600 kg—by the end of this year.

Kim Myung-han, CEO of KNR SYSTEMS Inc., stated, “While quadruped robots have advanced rapidly over the past decade, it is still difficult to find ‘robots that carry heavy loads’—which are actually needed in the field,” adding, “We will continue to develop robots that can truly lighten the load on people’s shoulders.”