OYMotion: A Dexterous Hand Driving the Innovation Wave of Humanoid Robotics

Imagine walking into a supermarket where robotic arms are shuttling between shelves, accurately restocking and scanning items; stepping into a coffee shop, the one creating latte art for you isn't a barista but a nimble robotic arm; or, at a disaster site, there is a pair of strong and powerful hands.Assisting rescuers in lifting heavy objects… These scenes are not from a sci-fi movie, but a reality being driven by OYMotion.

More than a decade ago, Ni Hualiang was still working on chip development at the Qualcomm branch in Canada. In his spare time, starting with a few workbenches in his basement at home, he independently developed a set of chip technology based on electromyography (EMG) and applied it to mechatronic bracelets.

To further expand the value of this technology, he resolutely gave up the generous treatment overseas and chose to return to China to start his own business. Meanwhile, Wang Zhenkun, who was engaged in software development, also hit it off with Ni Hua, joining this entrepreneurial team.

In 2015, OYMotion was officially established. At this time, virtual reality, represented by AR/VR, was at the height of its popularity, and the EMG armband, as a new generation of wearable interactive device, was receiving significant attention. OYMotion successfully secured angel round funding from Zhangjiang Torch and successfully landed in Zhangjiang.

However, as the craze for virtual reality gradually faded, the market prospects for OYMotion did not unfold as expected. The once ambitious team had to face the harsh realities:Rethinking the Value and Direction of Technology, Exploring New Application Fields.

"At that time, we realized that technology must find real needs to play its value."Wang Zhenkun recalled. Thus, a transformation from cool technology to practical innovation quietly began.

EMG Wristband

At an exhibition, OYMotion created a robotic hand using 3D printing and controlled its gestures with a myoelectric armband. This novel display quickly drew the attention of the audience. One customer came up with a bold idea:"Can this technology be applied to disabled people?"This proposal has opened up new possibilities for OYMotion.

The mechanical hand that OYMotion made with 3D printing at the exhibition back in the day

The team began attempting to apply the technology in the field of smart prosthetics and soon encountered their first case — Wang Chaofeng, a flood rescue hero who lost both arms in a high-voltage electrical accident. OYMotion customized a smart bionic hand for him. After training, Wang Chaofeng was not only able to perform daily tasks such as eating, drinking, and writing but also solemnly saluted during an interview, a gesture he hadn’t made in a long time.

At that time, the field of intelligent prosthetics had long been monopolized by two foreign giant enterprises, with high prices making it unaffordable for ordinary consumers. In order to create a more cost-effective bionic hand, OYMotion decided to independently develop all components, from motors to reducers, from industrial design to ergonomics, striving to build an intelligent bionic hand that is both exquisite and practical.

In 2019,Bionic Hand V1.0Launched into the market, successfully reducing the price to 1/5 of that of similar foreign products. In addition, OYMotion became the first company to enter the China Disabled Persons' Federation's standards for intelligent bionic hands and was included in the Shanghai Disabled Persons' Federation's directory of assistive device adaptations.

"The significance of the intelligent bionic hand goes far beyond functionality. It not only helps disabled individuals regain their ability to live but also brings them dignity and hope."In Wang Zhenkun's view, the deep integration of technology and humanities has enabled OYMotion to find a new mission——Empower more lives with the strength of technology.

Users can use bionic hands to play pool flexibly.

The commercialization of hard technology has always been a process of accumulating strength before a breakthrough.After solidifying its position in the Chinese intelligent bionic hand market, OYMotion began expanding into the global market in 2021. With competitive pricing and exceptional product quality, it quickly gained widespread recognition and favor from overseas customers. "Our bionic hand can bear a maximum weight of 30 kilograms, sufficient to meet various needs of daily life," said Wang Zhenkun with full confidence.

At the end of 2022, OYMotion announced the latest Pre-B round of financing worth nearly 100 million yuan. This funding will mainly be used to promote the research and development of brain-computer interface neurorehabilitation exoskeleton robots. This also signifies that OYMotion's products, previously based on electromyographic signals for bionic hands, will extend to products based on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals.

In fact, OYMotion had already made a forward-looking layout in EEG technology years ago, dedicating 50% of its R&D resources to the development of non-invasive EEG products. The aim is to apply these innovations in prevention scenarios for mental illnesses, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. Despite the amplitude of EEG signals being only one-thousandth that of EMG signals, OYMotion has chosen to take on the challenge.

In 2023, the concept of "humanoid robots" exploded, providing a new development opportunity for OYMotion's transformation. Due to the maturity of related product technologies and high market recognition, numerous embodied robot manufacturers, collaborative robotic arm makers, and industrial robotic arm companies have extended their "olive branches" of cooperation. OYMotion quickly adjusted its technical approach, upgrading myoelectric control to industrial protocol control, officially entering the humanoid robot field.

OYMotion's Dexterous Hand: ROHand

According to Wang Zhenkun, currently, OYMotion's product line is focusing on a "two-legged" development path: