Contact: Mary Ellen Doran, Director, Emerging Technology at doran@agma.org
Alexandria, VA – March 10, 2025 – The AGMA Emerging Technology Robotics Committee supports investment in emerging technologies and collaboration for the development of actuation systems that will reduce weight, gear drives with back drivability and low backlash, integrated motor-controller-gear sensors, and lower-cost solutions. They have published their thoughts in the new AGMA White Paper, The Near Future of Mechanical Drive for Humanoid Robots.
The primary author on the paper is committee member Jacques Lemire, a professional engineer with over three decades of technical and business management, and executive experience in mechatronics and motion control in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Jacques worked with colleagues around the world to develop this paper.
The paper focuses on the mechanical opportunities available to gear manufacturers should humanoid robots be mass produced. It looks at the current limitations and possible developments that will move production. “Building trust in humanoid robots starts with addressing the significant challenges and limits that near-future commercial deployment of humanoids has, specifically with safety, reliability, and cost for electro-mechanical actuation”, stated Lemire in the paper. “While some headlines tout large numbers of humanoids deployed by 2030, the members of the Robotics Committee discussed those numbers through the lens of available supply chain and need.”
The recent surge in interest in robotics is driven by the convergence of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, computer vision, and control algorithms now available. This has generated much enthusiasm and the promise that industry is now at the tipping point of a new technological era for humanoid robotics. The paper outlines various drives and their use in robotics. And discusses emerging technologies that may influence newer designs including plastic gears, nanocomposite coatings, integrated actuation systems, and more.
The AGMA Emerging Technology Robotics Committee reviewed recent developments and the design and manufacturing impact on gears, drives, and mechatronics actuation systems for humanoids. “We put focus on the physical attributes (electro-mechanical) of humanoid robotics, and focused on what it would take to get the now solutions that support large-scale deployment of safe humanoids,” said Mary Ellen Doran, AGMA’s VP of Emerging Technology.
The white paper was released in conjunction with a webinar panel that included Jacques Lemire, Aaron Prather, Director, Robotics & Autonomous Systems Programs at ASTM International, and Brandon DeHart, RoboHub Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo.
The paper is available to download for free alongside the recording of the webinar here: The Near Future of Mechanical Drive for Humanoid Robots – American Gear Manufacturers Association
About the AGMA Robotics Committee
The AGMA Robotics Committee discusses robots through the lens of gear manufacturers. Current projects include monitoring advancements in the humanoid robot supply chain, providing robot integration information specifically for gear, and bringing representatives from emerging companies to join discussions. Open to all, the committee seeks content specialists to lead discussions and projects alongside employees of AGMA member companies. For more information, contact Mary Ellen Doran, Director of Emerging Technology, at doran@agma.org.
About AGMA
The American Gear Manufacturers Association is a voluntary association of companies, consultants, and academicians with a direct interest in the design, manufacture and application of gears, couplings and related power transmission components and equipment. Members come from the United States and more than 32 other countries.
AGMA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute to write all U.S. standards on gearing. AGMA is also the Secretary for Technical Committee 60 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). TC 60 is the committee responsible for developing all international gearing standards. In addition to holding the position of Secretariat, AGMA convenes the active ISO Working Groups related to gear inspection and testing.