Tesollo Inc., a South Korean developer of multi-jointed robotic hands, is preparing to showcase its latest humanoid hand model, the DG-5F-S, at the AI for Good Global Summit 2025. The event, organized under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union, serves as a platform for demonstrating how artificial intelligence technologies can address sustainable development goals. Tesollo's participation signals the company's intent to place its hardware in front of an international audience of policymakers, researchers, and industry representatives.
The DG-5F-S is a five-finger robotic hand built on a 20-degree-of-freedom (DoF) architecture. According to the company, the hand is compact and lightweight, weighing under 1 kilogram (approximately 2.2 pounds). Its dimensions are comparable to those of an adult human hand, which Tesollo says makes it suitable for integration into a wide range of humanoid platforms. The hand is designed to support precise grasping and manipulation motions required for humanoid robots, covering tasks that range from simple pick-and-place operations to more complex in-hand manipulation.
Tesollo's development of the DG-5F-S did not occur in a vacuum. The company first introduced its flagship hand, the DG-5F, at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) in 2024. That earlier model, similar in size to an adult male's hand, featured 20 independently driven joints. The DG-5F was powered by an in-house actuator system, marking a strategic shift away from generic, off-the-shelf actuators. According to Youngjin Kim, CEO of Tesollo, the company has been developing proprietary actuators optimized for humanoid robotic hands since 2023.
The DG-5F-S builds on the foundation laid by the DG-5F and its intermediate variant, the DG-5F-M. Tesollo has stated that the new model reflects practical requirements repeatedly encountered during real deployments. The company developed the DG-5F-S based on real-world usage data and on-site feedback accumulated through supplying the DG-5F-M to global customers. This iterative approach—designing based on field experience rather than purely theoretical specifications—is a notable aspect of Tesollo's product development strategy.
In addition to the AI for Good Global Summit, Tesollo has been actively demonstrating its hardware at major robotics conferences. At the ICRA show in Vienna, the company showcased the DG-5F-M and DG-5F-S hands in various applications, including teleoperation, bin picking, and in-hand manipulation. The demonstrations also included Tesollo's humanoid vision-language-action model (VLA), which integrates perception and language understanding with motor control. These public demonstrations have helped the company mature its product line and refine its positioning as a specialist in multi-jointed robotic hands for humanoids.
Tesollo's commercial ambitions extend beyond product launches. The company has officially begun preparations for an initial public offering (IPO) in the coming year and has completed its Series B funding round to fuel global expansion. Existing shareholders, including POSCO Technology Investment, KB Investment, and Enlight Ventures, participated in the Series B round as follow-on investors. The company has stated that it aims to strengthen its mass-production capabilities and advance core technology development, with the goal of becoming a global leader in the robotic hand sector.
Why it matters for European robot service
The European robotics market has long been characterized by a strong research base, a fragmented industrial landscape, and a growing interest in service robotics. Humanoid robots, while still largely confined to research laboratories and pilot projects, are gradually moving toward commercial viability. Tesollo's DG-5F-S, with its emphasis on compactness, weight reduction, and cost-effectiveness, addresses several barriers that have historically hindered the adoption of dexterous robotic hands in Europe and elsewhere.
One of the primary barriers is cost. Robotic hands with high degrees of freedom have traditionally been expensive, often priced beyond the budgets of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions. Tesollo has explicitly stated that it expects the DG-5F-S to help reduce common barriers in adopting robotic hands, particularly cost burden and size constraints. For European research institutions and startups working on humanoid platforms, a more affordable hand with 20 degrees of freedom could lower the threshold for experimentation and prototyping.
Size constraints are another significant issue. Many humanoid platforms are designed around the dimensions of the human body, and a hand that is too large or too heavy can throw off the entire kinematic chain. Tesollo's claim that the DG-5F-S weighs under 1 kilogram and is sized comparably to a human hand is relevant for European integrators who must balance payload capacities, battery life, and overall system stability. A lighter hand reduces the torque requirements on the wrist and arm actuators, potentially allowing for smaller, more efficient motors and longer operational times.
The DG-5F-S is designed to be compatible with a wide range of humanoid platforms, according to Tesollo. This compatibility is crucial for the European market, where no single humanoid platform has achieved dominance. Unlike the United States, where companies like Tesla and Figure have generated significant attention, Europe's humanoid ecosystem is more fragmented, with numerous startups and research groups pursuing different designs. A hand that can be integrated into multiple platforms offers a pragmatic solution for integrators who do not want to be locked into a single vendor's ecosystem.
Tesollo's focus on industrial applications is also relevant for Europe's manufacturing sector. The company has stated that it aims to expand robotic hands beyond research platforms into industrial-grade core components that can be reliably integrated into humanoid systems. European manufacturers, particularly in the automotive, logistics, and electronics sectors, are increasingly exploring humanoid robots for tasks that require dexterity and adaptability. The DG-5F-S, with its 20 degrees of freedom and support for precise grasping, could serve as a component in such deployments.
The company's plans for an IPO and its completed Series B funding round indicate that Tesollo is positioning itself for long-term growth. For European buyers, this financial stability may be a consideration when evaluating the risk of adopting a relatively new component supplier. A company with committed investors and a clear path to public markets is more likely to provide ongoing support, firmware updates, and spare parts than a venture that is struggling to secure funding.
Tesollo's presence at the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 also aligns with Europe's emphasis on responsible AI and sustainable development. The summit, which focuses on leveraging AI for social benefit, provides a venue for discussing how robotic hands can be used in applications such as assistive robotics, rehabilitation, and elderly care. While Tesollo has not specified any particular applications for the DG-5F-S in these domains, the company's participation in the summit suggests an interest in engaging with the broader societal implications of its technology.
What buyers and operators should know
For buyers and operators considering the DG-5F-S, several factors warrant attention. First and foremost, the hand's specifications—20 degrees of freedom, under 1 kilogram weight, and human-hand-like dimensions—are the key selling points. These specifications are directly relevant for anyone integrating the hand into a humanoid platform, as they determine the hand's ability to perform a wide range of manipulation tasks while minimizing the impact on the overall system's weight and balance.
Tesollo has stated that the DG-5F-S is suitable for both research and industrial applications. This dual positioning is notable, as it suggests the hand is designed to serve as a bridge between laboratory experimentation and real-world deployment. For research institutions, the hand offers a platform for studying manipulation, learning algorithms, and human-robot interaction. For industrial users, the hand could potentially be integrated into production lines, logistics operations, or other settings where dexterous manipulation is required.
The company's development methodology is another point of interest. Tesollo has emphasized that the DG-5F-S was developed based on real-world usage data and on-site feedback accumulated through supplying the DG-5F-M to global customers. This suggests that the design has been iterated based on actual field performance, rather than purely theoretical considerations. For buyers, this may provide some confidence that the hand has been tested in conditions similar to those they might encounter.
However, it is important to note what Tesollo has not disclosed. The company has not published detailed specifications regarding the hand's actuation technology, control interfaces, or communication protocols. While the company has stated that it develops its own actuators optimized for humanoid robotic hands, the specific performance characteristics—such as torque, speed, and precision—have not been detailed in the available source material. Buyers should seek additional technical documentation from Tesollo before making procurement decisions.
Similarly, Tesollo has not disclosed pricing for the DG-5F-S. The company has stated that it expects the hand to help reduce cost barriers in adopting robotic hands, but no specific price point has been announced. Buyers should be aware that the total cost of ownership may include not only the hand itself but also integration services, control software, and ongoing maintenance. Tesollo has not provided any information on service level agreements, response times, or spare-part lead times, and no such figures should be assumed.
Compatibility is another area where buyers should exercise caution. While Tesollo has stated that the DG-5F-S is compatible with a wide range of humanoid platforms, the company has not provided a specific list of compatible platforms. Buyers with existing humanoid systems should verify compatibility with Tesollo directly before committing to integration. The company's demonstrations at ICRA in Vienna included teleoperation, bin picking, and in-hand manipulation, which provide some indication of the hand's capabilities, but these demonstrations do not constitute a guarantee of compatibility with any particular platform.
Tesollo's corporate trajectory is also worth considering. The company has completed its Series B funding round, with participation from existing shareholders including POSCO Technology Investment, KB Investment, and Enlight Ventures. The company has also begun preparations for an IPO in the coming year. For buyers, this suggests that Tesollo is a going concern with access to capital, which may reduce the risk of the company discontinuing support for its products. However, the company's plans are subject to market conditions and regulatory approvals, and no timeline for the IPO has been specified.
The DG-5F-S is expected to serve as a key platform driving the transition of humanoid robots from research and prototyping to commercialization, according to Tesollo. This ambition aligns with broader industry trends, as humanoid robots are increasingly seen as a potential solution for labor shortages in various sectors. However, it is worth noting that humanoid robots remain a nascent technology, and the path to widespread commercial adoption is still uncertain. Buyers should weigh the potential benefits of the DG-5F-S against the broader risks associated with the humanoid robotics market.
Tesollo's participation in the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 is scheduled for the year 2025, but the specific date of the presentation has not been disclosed in the available source material. Interested parties should monitor Tesollo's communications and the summit's official program for further details. The exact month of the summit is also not specified in the source material, so interested parties should verify the schedule independently.
Finally, it is worth noting that Tesollo first introduced the DG-5F at IROS in 2024, and the DG-5F-S is a subsequent development. The company has stated that the DG-5F-S is optimized for integration into humanoid platforms through miniaturization and weight reduction. This suggests that the DG-5F-S is not merely a cosmetic update but a significant redesign aimed at addressing practical integration challenges. Buyers who are familiar with the DG-5F may find the DG-5F-S to be a more suitable option for their specific use cases, but they should still conduct their own due diligence.
In summary, the DG-5F-S represents a notable entry in the growing market for dexterous robotic hands. Its combination of 20 degrees of freedom, compact form factor, and weight under 1 kilogram makes it a potentially attractive option for humanoid robot developers and integrators. However, buyers should seek additional technical specifications, pricing information, and compatibility details from Tesollo before making any procurement decisions. The company's financial position and growth plans provide some reassurance, but the broader uncertainties of the humanoid robotics market remain.
Sources
Tesollo to present humanoid robot hand at AI for Good Global Summit 2025
Published by Vigla Media OÜ (Estonia).