Many readers may have already come across articles about WeRobotics' general-purpose humanoid robot ‘ALLEX’.
(Reference article: https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20250818/132207368/2 )

WeRobotics describes ALLEX as a ‘general-purpose humanoid robot that interacts with the real world by responding to various physical stimuli such as force, contact, and impact’. However, such a description alone did not quite convey the capabilities of ALLEX. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the competition in humanoid development is intensifying. What strengths does ALLEX possess? This article provides a firsthand account of meeting ALLEX.

On the afternoon of the 26th, after taking the KTX from Seoul Station and getting off at Cheonan-Asan Station, a taxi ride to the ‘Robot Innovation Hub (RIH)’ located at the first campus of Korea University of Technology and Education in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, was necessary to finally meet ALLEX. ALLEX is currently developed only up to the upper body, with a face and two arms resembling a human form.

The standout feature of ALLEX, as boasted by WeRobotics, is the ‘high-degree-of-freedom compliant robot hand’, specifically ALLEX's hand.

ALLEX's hand, similar in size to a human hand, has 15 degrees of freedom. Each hand has five fingers, each with three degrees of freedom. This concept is similar to a human finger composed of three segments. Thus, it can perform various tasks with precise movements like a human. The ‘repeatability’ indicating the error when repeatedly positioning ALLEX's fingertips is less than 0.3mm, allowing for precision tasks.

Observing ALLEX's movements, it seemed that in some actions, it moved more flexibly than human fingers. Additionally, ALLEX's arm is designed to reduce friction and rotational inertia, enhancing joint flexibility. It can stretch with clasped hands, cross arms, or even put an arm around a person’s shoulder.


ALLEX's hand senses ‘reverse force’ like a human and responds accordingly. In other words, it detects external force and applies appropriate force in response. For example, when shaking hands with a person, ALLEX senses the force of the other person’s hand and grips it with suitable strength. When hugging, it gently wraps its arms around a person’s body and even pats lightly.


During a high-five, it reacts appropriately to the force of the other person's palm.


When placing my wrist on ALLEX's hand, it gently holds it.


If ALLEX did not have the ability to sense reverse force and adapt to external forces, during a handshake or when offering a wrist, ALLEX might have gripped tightly enough to break a human hand, and during a high-five or hug, it might have felt like being hit by ALLEX.

According to WeRobotics, ALLEX's hand weighs about 700g, and below the shoulder weighs about 5kg, making it lightweight. This allows for agile and safe movements. Nonetheless, it can handle weights over 3kg with one hand.

WeRobotics is a startup founded in 2021 by researchers who developed humanoids at Samsung Electronics. Although it has only been four years since its founding, ALLEX incorporates the accumulated experiences of WeRobotics' members, including co-CEOs Kim Yong-jae and Lee Yeon-baek, who have conducted various tests in companies and schools over 20 years.

A WeRobotics representative stated, “The ultimate goal is to develop a humanoid that is used universally, like a mobile phone or washing machine, to assist people in daily life.” Following the unveiling of ALLEX, companies from various fields have requested WeRobotics to develop robots. For instance, the shipbuilding industry has requested a robot capable of welding.

However, ALLEX's lower body has not yet been developed. The ultimate goal is to create a bipedal humanoid, but they are first considering making a version with wheels. This is because in environments like factories, the wheeled version has many advantages over bipedal movement.

Additionally, the task of creating ALLEX's ‘brain’ remains. Currently, ALLEX requires manual programming to perform actions. WeRobotics aims to collaborate with physical AI startups like ‘RealWorld’ to develop a robot foundation model, enabling ALLEX to independently act according to situations through AI.

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