Index Robotics, a developer of upper-body humanoid robots targeting industrial applications based on high-precision actuator technology, announced on the 19th that it has secured 1.5 billion won in seed funding. This round was led by FuturePlay, with participation from Base Ventures and 500 Global.
Recently, manufacturing sites are increasingly embracing high-variety, low-volume production processes, often involving precision manual work that is difficult to implement with existing automated equipment or general-purpose robots. Consequently, demand is growing for robotic systems that can be deployed immediately without installation burden.
Index Robotics views the joint precision and responsiveness required in repetitive tasks, as well as performance variations during long-term operation, as key technological challenges for commercializing humanoid robots. The company focuses on robot development based on hardware architecture and actuator performance, rather than a software-centric approach.
The core technology is the "IA Series," a high-precision actuator for humanoid joints, and the "INDEX01," an upper-body humanoid project that utilizes this technology. INDEX01 features a limited-mobility upper-body structure, designed for immediate deployment even in confined workspaces. Its application targets repetitive processes such as logistics, processing, and precision assembly in manufacturing sites.
INDEX01 is designed to perform precision processes that require human intervention. Its primary application is in environments where automation is difficult, such as multi-variety, small-volume production processes, and its architecture minimizes installation space and construction time. Based on robot motion data collected from industrial sites, the scope of AI autonomous operations will be gradually expanded.
CEO Shin Seung-hoon stated that he believes the physical perfection of hardware is a key barrier to the commercialization of humanoid robots and is focusing on developing robots capable of performing stable tasks in industrial settings. Investors praised Index Robotics as a unique team that simultaneously achieves precision control and high responsiveness, with potential for global expansion through domestic manufacturing applications.
Based on this investment, Index Robotics plans to advance the IA Series actuators and verify the INDEX01 prototype, and gradually expand the scope of technology verification (PoC) and collaboration with domestic and international manufacturing companies and research institutes.
You must be logged in to post a comment.