WIRobotics
WIRobotics is a South Korean robotics company founded in June 2021 by four former engineers from Samsung's robotics development team, headquartered in Seoul and led by co-chief executives Yeonbaek Lee and Professor Yong-Jae Kim of KOREATECH. It first made wearable robots: the WIBS industrial back-support robot and WIM, a walking-assist wearable robot for mobility support and rehabilitation, which has sold more than 3,000 units in Europe, China, Türkiye and Japan and won CES Innovation Awards in robotics for three years running. Its humanoid, ALLEX, short for All-Experience, was unveiled on 18 August 2025 at KOREATECH's Robot Innovation Hub in Cheonan. ALLEX uses inherent compliance to respond to forces through its arms, fingers and waist without force sensors, so it can interact safely and dynamically with people. WIRobotics raised a 13 billion won Series A in March 2024 and, on 14 May 2026, a Series B of about 95 billion won (US$68 million) led by JB Investment, and is establishing North American operations in California.
💡Notable Achievement: WIRobotics has won CES Innovation Awards in Robotics for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, and 2026), and its WIM walking-assist robot demonstrated a 78% improvement in physical functions during a four-week usability test with seniors.
What Does WIRobotics Do?
WIRobotics is a South Korean robotics company founded by former Samsung engineers, known for wearable walking-assist robots and now building the ALLEX humanoid with force-sensitive, compliant arms and dexterous hands.
“Wearable-robot expertise turned into a force-sensitive humanoid for delicate work.”
Wearable Robotics Heritage
WIM walking-assist robot experience in human-safe, force-aware actuation.
Compliant Force Control
Force sensing without tactile sensors, enabling bilateral teleoperation and compliant human handover.
Award-Winning Track Record
CES Innovation Awards in Robotics three years running (2024–2026).
What Can WIRobotics Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Sub-millimetre dual-arm manipulation with 15-DoF hands and about 2–3 hours of operation.
Dexterous 15-DoF Hands
Compliant hands with 40 N fingertip force for delicate objects.
Compliant Human Handover
Force-compliant arms for safe handover and interaction with people.
Bilateral Teleoperation
Force-feedback teleoperation for remote and data-collection work.
Precision Assembly
Delicate part insertion and force-controlled assembly.
WIRobotics Robots
Showing 1 Humanoid Robots of 1 total model
ALLEX
Manufactured by WIRobotics
ALLEX is a cutting-edge humanoid robot developed by WIRobotics in South Korea, designed for versatile real-world applications including household assistance, elder care, manufacturing, and medical support. Standing approximately 170 cm tall and weighing around 60 kg, ALLEX features 15 degrees of freedom in its arms, enabling delicate and precise movements with a fingertip force of 40 Newtons. It incorporates advanced force sensing without tactile sensors, gravity compensation to reduce mechanical stress, and a modular design allowing users to deploy full-body, arm-only, or hand-only configurations. ALLEX aims to safely and naturally interact with humans, performing tasks such as folding clothes, pouring drinks, and lifting loads up to 30 kg. Its lightweight yet strong design and AI-driven responsiveness position it as a significant step toward affordable, widely available humanoid robots by 2030.
WIRobotics Software & AI Ecosystem
Developer platforms, fleet management portals, autonomy intelligence, and enterprise integrations
ROS-Based Software Stack
C++ & Python APIs
Linux-based OS with ROS middleware and C++/Python APIs.
Compliance & Force-Control Layer
Semi-Autonomous Manipulation
Force-compliant control with bilateral teleoperation and semi-autonomous behaviours.
WIRobotics Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
WIRobotics founded by ex-Samsung engineers
Four former Samsung robotics engineers found WIRobotics to build wearable and humanoid robots.
Source: koreabiomed.com
13 billion won Series A
WIRobotics raises a Series A of 13 billion won.
Source: koreabiomed.com
ALLEX humanoid unveiled
WIRobotics unveils ALLEX, a general-purpose humanoid with human-like responsiveness, at KOREATECH's Robot Innovation Hub.
Source: prnewswire.com
Series B of about 95 billion won
WIRobotics completes a Series B of about 95 billion won (US$68 million) led by JB Investment.
Source: prnewswire.com
WIRobotics Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
What Makes WIRobotics Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Three consecutive CES Innovation Awards in Robotics (2024, 2025, 2026).
- ✓Existing wearable-robot business provides revenue and clinical validation experience.
- ✓Force-sensitive control suits delicate manipulation and safe human interaction.
Core Strategic Focus
Moving ALLEX from research and specialist use toward industrial assembly and assistive applications.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Series A-stage funding limits the pace of humanoid scale-up.
- •Runtime of about 2–3 hours and an estimated US$50–100k price restrict volume adoption.
WIRobotics vs Key Competitors
Strategic capability matrix across platform categories, commercial readiness, and target markets
Category / Focus
- WIRobotics
- Wheeled Humanoid
- Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1
- Korean wheeled dual-arm humanoid
- ROBOTIS AI Worker
- Korean physical-AI worker robot
- Blue Robin P-73
- Korean full-size humanoid
- PNDbotics Adam-U
- Dexterous full-size humanoid
Primary Use
- WIRobotics
- Precision force-controlled work
- Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1
- Industrial automation, manufacturing
- ROBOTIS AI Worker
- Wiring harness assembly, welding
- Blue Robin P-73
- Factory automation, dual-arm manipulation
- PNDbotics Adam-U
- Robotics research, AI development
Weight
- WIRobotics
- 55 kg
- Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1
- 131 kg
- ROBOTIS AI Worker
- 80 kg
- Blue Robin P-73
- 75 kg
- PNDbotics Adam-U
- 61 kg
Battery Runtime
- WIRobotics
- 2–3 h
- Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1
- 3 h
- ROBOTIS AI Worker
- 4–6 h
- Blue Robin P-73
- 6 h
- PNDbotics Adam-U
- 4 h
| Strategic Dimension | WIRobotics(Current) | Rainbow Robotics RB-Y1 | ROBOTIS AI Worker | Blue Robin P-73 | PNDbotics Adam-U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category / Focus | Wheeled Humanoid | Korean wheeled dual-arm humanoid | Korean physical-AI worker robot | Korean full-size humanoid | Dexterous full-size humanoid |
| Primary Use | Precision force-controlled work | Industrial automation, manufacturing | Wiring harness assembly, welding | Factory automation, dual-arm manipulation | Robotics research, AI development |
| Weight | 55 kg | 131 kg | 80 kg | 75 kg | 61 kg |
| Battery Runtime | 2–3 h | 3 h | 4–6 h | 6 h | 4 h |
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
WIRobotics Headquarters
HQSeoul, South Korea
Articles & Industry News
Showing 2 recent articles and news updates about WIRobotics
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about WIRobotics
What is WIRobotics?
WIRobotics is a South Korean company, founded in 2021 by former Samsung robotics engineers, that makes wearable walking-assist robots such as WIM and the ALLEX humanoid.
Who runs WIRobotics?
WIRobotics is led by co-chief executives Yeonbaek Lee and Yong-Jae Kim, a professor at the Korea University of Technology and Education.
What is ALLEX?
ALLEX, short for All-Experience, is WIRobotics' general-purpose humanoid unveiled in August 2025, with inherent compliance that lets it respond to forces without force sensors.
What is WIRobotics WIM?
WIM is a wearable walking-assist robot for mobility support and rehabilitation that has sold more than 3,000 units in Europe, China, Türkiye and Japan.
How much has WIRobotics raised?
WIRobotics raised a 13 billion won Series A in March 2024 and a Series B of about 95 billion won (US$68 million) on 14 May 2026, led by JB Investment.
How is WIRobotics growing?
Its revenue rose from 560 million won in 2023 to 1.3 billion won in 2024 and 2.79 billion won in 2025, and it was selected for NVIDIA's Physical AI Fellowship.
How does ALLEX stay safe around people?
ALLEX has inherent compliance across its arms, fingers and waist, so it can respond to force without force sensors and interact safely and dynamically.
How much does ALLEX cost?
WIRobotics has not published a price for ALLEX in its announcements, though it planned humanoid sales after its 2026 Series B and sells its WIM wearable robot commercially.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official WIRobotics datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Information has been verified against official manufacturer documentation. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.