The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has released a 15‑second video showing its human‑scale, dual‑arm, hydraulic robot ARMstrong Dex tossing a 500 ml (0.5 kg) water bottle into a yellow barrel with one hand.
The short clip, complete with mechanical whirrs and a brisk throwing motion, was designed to gauge high‑speed coordination, trajectory control, and endpoint accuracy, capabilities considered essential when robots must operate in dynamic rescue scenarios where every second counts.
In disaster zones, direct paths are often blocked or too dangerous to traverse. The ability to accurately throw lightweight supplies, such as medical kits, radios, or water bottles, means ARMstrong Dex can support trapped victims or teammates without adding risk or delay.
Throwing accurately requires precise trajectory planning, timing, and force modulation, far more complex than simply lifting. The new agility trial builds on that framework, showing the robot can shift from slow, heavy operations to fast, precise movements.
Agility joins brute strength
ARMstrong Dex has already demonstrated strength beyond most humans. It can perform vertical pull‑ups and manipulate loads over 50 kg. In June 2025, a video showed the robot executing dead‑hang pull‑ups with a 44‑pound (20 kg) weight. This followed a June 23 clip of the machine performing 88‑pound (40 kg) arm curls. The test focused on single-arm performance to analyze strength, control, and mechanical stability.
The newer 88-pound (40 kg) curl test, while modest compared to its 441-pound (200 kg) capability, demonstrates fine control, stability, and safe operation. Those controlled strength trials let engineers tune joint hydraulics, feedback loops, and motion control strategies, knowledge that now underpins the bottle‑throw test’s emphasis on speed and accuracy.
Beyond raw power, the robot’s design is optimized for hazardous environments. ARMstrong Dex matches adult human size and reach, allowing it to work in corridors, valve stations, and other human‑scaled settings.
Caterpillar tracks let it traverse debris‑strewn or unstable terrain. Its manipulators can turn valves, remove rubble, plug cords, or operate tools such as spray guns for fire suppression. Developed specifically for disaster‑response and nuclear‑facility operations, it is controlled remotely to keep people out of danger.
From nuclear plants to broader deployment
KAERI’s program extends past a single prototype. With an aim to transform the nuclear decommissioning landscape, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has transferred its advanced robotic technology, ‘Armstrong.’ The technology has been transferred to Victex, which is a company specializing in nuclear decommissioning. This collaboration is meant to deploy Armstrong in the challenging environment of nuclear power plant dismantling, where its unique capabilities will be instrumental.
The institute’s broader robotics initiative also includes smaller radiation‑mapping platforms such as TRAM and RAM, as well as research into semi‑autonomous control and AI‑vision systems under the emerging K‑Humanoid Alliance.
As ARMstrong Dex’s capabilities grow, from heavy lifts and controlled curls to a precisely lobbed half‑kilogram bottle, the pattern is clear. KAERI is methodically checking off the mix of strength, dexterity, and agility that disaster response demands. The latest video may be brief, but it highlights a crucial point: effective rescue robots must hit their targets, not just hit the gym.