Watch: ALLEX shows how humanoid robots can shake hands safely

ALLEX is a Korean-developed humanoid robot unveiled by WIRobotics at CES 2026, designed to enable safe and natural physical interaction between humans and robots. Its standout feature is a high degree of force sensitivity and control, allowing it to detect forces as low as 100 gram-force without tactile sensors while exerting up to 40 newtons of fingertip force. This capability enables ALLEX to perform human-like tasks such as shaking hands with a controlled grip that adjusts in real time, balancing strength and flexibility to avoid injury. The robot’s hands and arms are back-drivable, meaning they can be safely pushed or guided, and its arm system features low friction and rotational inertia to facilitate smooth, fluid motion suitable for close human interaction. ALLEX’s design includes 15 degrees of freedom, gravity compensation from the waist to upper body, and a lightweight build—its hand weighs about 1.5 pounds and the shoulder-down assembly about 11 pounds—yet it can lift over