ROBOTIS
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Last reviewed
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| ROBOTIS | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Full name | ROBOTIS Co., Ltd. |
| Korean name | 로보티즈 |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Kim Byoung-Soo (김병수) |
| Headquarters | Seoul, South Korea |
| Industry | Robotics, Actuators, Humanoid robots |
| Key people | Kim Byoung-Soo (CEO, 27.42% stake) |
| Products | DYNAMIXEL actuators, DARwIn-OP, THORMANG, TurtleBot, AI Worker |
| Stock exchange | KOSDAQ (A108490, listed October 2018) |
| Website | robotis.us / robotis.com |
ROBOTIS (ROBOTIS Co., Ltd.) is a South Korean robotics company founded in 1999 by Kim Byoung-Soo. The company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of robotic hardware, best known as the exclusive producer of the DYNAMIXEL brand of all-in-one smart servo actuators. DYNAMIXEL actuators have become the de facto standard in robotics research and education, powering robots across academic laboratories, RoboCup competitions, and commercial platforms worldwide.[1][2]
ROBOTIS is publicly traded on the KOSDAQ stock exchange (ticker A108490) since October 2018. The company's product portfolio spans smart actuators, complete humanoid robot platforms (including the DARwIn-OP research humanoid and the full-size THORMANG series), the TurtleBot mobile robot platform (developed in collaboration with the Open Source Robotics Foundation), educational robot kits, and the AI Worker semi-humanoid industrial robot. Over two decades of manufacturing, ROBOTIS has established its DYNAMIXEL actuators as essential components used by the vast majority of teams in RoboCup humanoid leagues.[1][3]
ROBOTIS was founded in 1999 in South Korea by Kim Byoung-Soo with a foundational question: "What is a robot?" The company's early focus was on developing smart servo actuators that could simplify robot construction by integrating a DC motor, reduction gearhead, controller, driver, and network communication into a single modular package. This concept became the DYNAMIXEL product line, which would grow to define the company's identity and establish its position in the global robotics supply chain.[1][2]
In the early 2000s, ROBOTIS released the Bioloid robot kit, a modular robotics platform built around DYNAMIXEL actuators that allowed users to build a variety of robot configurations. Bioloid became popular in educational settings and hobbyist communities, introducing DYNAMIXEL technology to a broad audience and establishing ROBOTIS as a leader in educational robotics.[4]
In 2009, ROBOTIS embarked on a significant collaboration with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and Purdue University, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The goal was to develop a groundbreaking open-source humanoid robot platform suitable for research and education. The result was the DARwIn-OP (Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence, Open Platform), unveiled in 2011.[3][5]
DARwIn-OP represented a milestone in making humanoid robots accessible for research and education. The robot stood approximately 45 cm tall, weighed about 3 kg, and featured 20 degrees of freedom, each controlled by a DYNAMIXEL MX-28T servo motor.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Height | ~45 cm |
| Weight | ~3 kg |
| DOF | 20 (6 per leg x 2, 3 per arm x 2, 2 neck) |
| Actuators | DYNAMIXEL MX-28T |
| Processor | Intel Atom |
| Camera | Logitech webcam |
| OS | Linux-based |
| Design | Fully open-source (hardware and software) |
The development was a collaboration between ROBOTIS, KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), and the University of Pennsylvania. DARwIn-OP's open-source design, combined with its use of off-the-shelf DYNAMIXEL actuators, made it significantly more affordable than previous research humanoid platforms and led to its widespread adoption in university robotics labs worldwide.[3][5]
ROBOTIS developed the THORMANG (Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot, Modular Autonomous Navigation and Gait) series as a full-size humanoid robot platform for advanced research. The latest version, THORMANG3, is an affordable full-size humanoid designed for research into locomotion, manipulation, perception, and autonomous operation.
| Specification | THORMANG3 |
|---|---|
| DOF | 29 |
| Actuators | 200W x 10, 100W x 11, 20W x 8 |
| Computers | Dual Intel NUC (Intel Core i5, 8GB DDR4, 128GB SSD each) |
| Network | D-Link wireless router |
| Camera | Logitech C920 HD |
| Optional sensors | Intel RealSense, Hokuyo UTM-30LX-EW LiDAR |
| Force/torque sensors | Two ATi Mini58-SI-2800-120 |
| IMU | MicroStrain 3DM-GX4-25 |
| Battery | 22V 22000mA + 18.5V 11000mA |
THORMANG3 was designed as a full-body research platform incorporating sophisticated sensing, computing, and actuation, running on ROS (Robot Operating System). Production of THORMANG3 is currently suspended, though it remains an influential platform in humanoid robotics research.[6]
In 2017, ROBOTIS announced a collaboration with the Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF) to develop the third generation of the TurtleBot platform, one of the most popular mobile robot platforms in the ROS ecosystem. The TurtleBot3 combined ROBOTIS' expertise in robotic hardware design and manufacturing with OSRF's commitment to open-source robotics development.[7]
TurtleBot3 exceeded expectations with its flexibility and upgradability. Built around DYNAMIXEL actuators, the platform offered a modular design that could be configured for various research and educational applications. TurtleBot3 became one of the standard platforms for learning ROS and mobile robot programming in universities worldwide.[7]
In October 2018, ROBOTIS was listed on the KOSDAQ market under the ticker A108490, making it a publicly traded company on South Korea's technology-focused stock exchange. CEO Kim Byoung-Soo retained a 27.42% stake in the company.[8]
ROBOTIS expanded into industrial robotics with the AI Worker, a semi-humanoid robot designed for real-world factory floor deployment. The AI Worker features a compact swerve-drive base, dual 7-DOF arms powered by DYNAMIXEL actuators, dexterous grippers, and an open control stack with native ROS 2 support.
The AI Worker's sensing and computing platform includes RGB-D cameras, LiDAR, force-torque sensors, and an NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin computer for running advanced AI models at the edge. The robot learns tasks through imitation learning, where engineers demonstrate tasks that are captured by algorithms, while reinforcement learning refines performance until it reaches expert level. Demonstrated applications include wiring-harness assembly, precision welding, and final-line visual inspection.[9]
In November 2024, ROBOTIS partnered with MIT to develop "Physical AI," an advanced robot technology focusing on human-level physical intelligence. The collaboration was supported by KIAT and the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, with the technology to be applied to ROBOTIS' collaborative robot, OpenMANIPULATOR-Y (OM-Y).[9]
DYNAMIXEL is ROBOTIS' flagship product line: a family of all-in-one smart servo actuators that integrate a DC motor, reduction gearhead, controller, driver, and network communication into a single modular package. Actuators can be daisy-chained together for simplified wiring and modular robot construction.
ROBOTIS has been manufacturing DYNAMIXEL actuators for over two decades, and the product line has evolved through multiple generations:
| Series | Key features | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|
| AX series | Entry-level, TTL communication | Educational robots, hobby projects |
| MX series | Mid-range, contactless absolute encoder, PID control | Research humanoids (DARwIn-OP), service robots |
| XM / XH / XW series | High-performance, Protocol 2.0, current-based control | ROBOTIS OP3, advanced research, commercial robots |
| PRO / PRO Plus | High-torque, industrial-grade | THORMANG, full-size humanoids |
| DYNAMIXEL DRIVE | Cycloid gear modules | Custom robot designs |
In recent years, approximately 95% of teams in RoboCup humanoid leagues have used robotics platforms based on DYNAMIXEL actuators, demonstrating the product line's dominance in competitive and research robotics.[1][3]
| Platform | Type | DOF | Key actuators | Target market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROBOTIS OP (DARwIn-OP) | Mini humanoid | 20 | DYNAMIXEL MX-28T | Research, education (original) |
| ROBOTIS OP2 | Mini humanoid | 20 | DYNAMIXEL MX-28 | Research, education (updated) |
| ROBOTIS OP3 | Mini humanoid | 20 | DYNAMIXEL XM-430 | Research, education (latest) |
| THORMANG3 | Full-size humanoid | 29 | DYNAMIXEL PRO series | Advanced research (suspended) |
| TurtleBot 3 | Mobile robot | N/A | DYNAMIXEL XL430 | ROS education, mobile robotics |
| AI Worker | Semi-humanoid industrial | Dual 7-DOF arms | DYNAMIXEL | Factory automation |
| Bioloid | Modular kit | Configurable | DYNAMIXEL AX series | Education, hobby |
The ROBOTIS OP3 is the latest generation of the miniature humanoid platform, succeeding the OP (DARwIn-OP) and OP2. The most significant upgrades include the replacement of MX-28 actuators with XM-430 DYNAMIXEL Protocol 2.0 servos (offering improved torque, current-based control, and additional performance improvements) and the upgrade from an Intel Atom SBC to a complete Intel NUC with an Intel i3 processor, providing significantly enhanced computing power with 64-bit OS support and Bluetooth 5. The OP3 has a default walking speed of 24.0 cm/sec (9.44 in/sec) with a user-modifiable gait of 0.25 sec per step.[10]
ROBOTIS has a deep connection to RoboCup, the international robotics competition that pits autonomous robots against each other in soccer and other challenges. The DARwIn-OP platform has been widely adopted by RoboCup humanoid league teams, and DYNAMIXEL actuators have become the standard components for competition robots. In recent years, approximately 95% of teams in the RoboCup humanoid leagues use platforms based on DYNAMIXEL actuators.[3]
The Standard Platform League (SPL) has historically used standardized hardware platforms to focus competition on software and AI capabilities. ROBOTIS' platforms, particularly the OP series, have been instrumental in making humanoid robot soccer research accessible to university teams worldwide, lowering the barrier to entry through affordable, reliable, and well-documented hardware.[3]
ROBOTIS has been a consistent advocate for open-source robotics development. The DARwIn-OP platform was released with open-source hardware designs and software, allowing researchers worldwide to modify, improve, and share their work. The TurtleBot3 continues this philosophy, with all design files, firmware, and software available through GitHub repositories.
The company's commitment to openness extends to its documentation practices. ROBOTIS maintains extensive online manuals (e-Manual) for all its products, providing detailed technical specifications, assembly instructions, programming guides, and troubleshooting resources. This documentation ecosystem has been credited with lowering the barrier to entry for robotics research and education, particularly in developing countries where access to vendor support may be limited.[1][7]
ROBOTIS' DYNAMIXEL SDK (Software Development Kit) supports multiple programming languages including C, C++, Python, Java, MATLAB, and LabVIEW, and is compatible with major operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS. The SDK integrates natively with ROS and ROS 2, the dominant middleware frameworks in robotics research.[2]
ROBOTIS occupies a distinctive position in the global robotics ecosystem. Rather than competing as a complete robot manufacturer against companies like Boston Dynamics or Unitree Robotics, ROBOTIS has established itself as a critical supplier of fundamental components (DYNAMIXEL actuators) that underpin a large portion of the academic and competitive robotics community. The company's actuators appear in robots built by hundreds of university labs, startup companies, and research institutions worldwide.
This component-supplier role has given ROBOTIS an outsized influence on the direction of robotics research. Decisions about DYNAMIXEL specifications, communication protocols, and software interfaces directly affect how thousands of researchers design and program their robots. The company's expansion into complete platforms (DARwIn-OP, THORMANG, AI Worker) and its partnership with MIT on Physical AI signal an ambition to move further up the value chain from components to complete systems.[9][11]