Startup Says Direct-Drive Motors Are the Future of Robot Actuators

While robots are becoming more diverse and capable, there's one component that hasn't changed much in the past half century: their actuators. A vast majority of robots use an electric motor coupled to a gearbox to move each of their wheels and joints. The motor spins rapidly, as it's optimized to do, while the gearbox reduces the rotation speed of the output shaft, increasing the torque in the process. This type of actuator powers robots as varied as industrial arms, walking humanoids, and Mars rovers. But it's far from perfect: Gear motors are often bulky and sluggish.