New robot system enables hair-level precision in wave measurement

Korean researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have developed a domestically designed robotic system capable of measuring electromagnetic waves with unprecedented precision. Utilizing six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) robotics, the system can maneuver in all spatial directions and rotations, enabling highly flexible scanning of targets across a wide frequency range up to 750 GHz. The system achieves antenna alignment accuracy within 10 micrometers—approximately one-seventh the thickness of a human hair—ensuring reliable measurements critical for high-frequency applications such as next-generation communication devices, semiconductor antennas, and defense technologies. This innovative platform addresses limitations of traditional electromagnetic wave testing setups, which often require large, costly facilities and fixed measurement configurations. By employing a mobile robot with proprietary design, control software, and calibration methods, KRISS’s system allows precise, repeatable measurements in confined spaces at reduced cost. This capability is particularly valuable for defense applications, where scaled-down models must be evaluated with minimal error