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EtherCAT technology, with its high-speed transmission, low latency, synchronization, and scalable daisy-chain and junction topologies, is a critical technology for humanoid robot and dexterous hand design. Introduction The growth momentum of humanoid robots primarily stems from population aging and labor shortages, driving demand for medical care and service-oriented robots. The wave of smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 has further fueled factories’ desire for high-degree-of-freedom collaborative robots. As AI algorithms mature, sensor technologies advance, and high-performance computing platforms become widely adopted, humanoid robots are achieving more natural movements, enhanced precision, and greater autonomy—positioning them as optimal solutions for smart factories, healthcare, and hazardous environments. EtherCAT technology, with its high-speed transmission, low latency, synchronization, and scalable daisy-chain and junction topologies, is a critical technology for humanoid robot and dexterous hand design. Key Technologies in Humanoid Robot and Dexterous Hand Product Design In humanoid robot design, engineers must balance flexible movement, multi-axis coordination, precise control, and real-time feedback to reproduce natural motions and accomplish fine operations. Among these, the dexterous hand is the most challenging subsystem, requiring the recreation of complex structures within limited space while integrating actuation, sensing, and communication modules. Each finger, driven by servo motors or miniature actuators, can finely adjust gripping force—capable of securely holding heavy objects while gently handling fragile items. The dexterous hand also integrates pressure, temperature, and sliding sensors to provide tactile feedback, supporting precision tasks such as electronic assembly and medical assistance. EtherCAT technology ensures real-time coordination of multi-finger actions and supports modular design, enhancing maintenance and scalability. Combined with AI and edge computing, the dexterous hand can dynamically adjust strategies, enabling more natural collaboration in human–robot interaction. Key Technical Highlights of Humanoid Robots Design High Degrees of Freedom and Multi-Axis Coordination: Ensures synchronous operation of dozens to hundreds of motors, avoiding delays or misalignment. Real-Time Response and High-Precision Control: EtherCAT’s microsecond-level communication cycles support precise multi-axis motor control. Multi-Sensor Integration: Combines IMU, torque, pressure, temperature, and vision modules to support real-time computation and decision-making. Dexterous Hand Fine Operations: Multiple servo motors or miniature actuators coordinate to ensure both firm gripping and delicate handling. Tactile Feedback: Pressure, sliding, and temperature sensors provide real-time tactile information to enhance interaction accuracy. Modular Design: The EtherCAT daisy-chain topology simplifies wiring and supports rapid integration and expansion of multiple modules. Safety and Reliability: Redundancy, error detection, and safety protocols secure stable operation in demanding environments. Intelligent Interaction: AI and edge computing enable real-time strategy adjustments for smoother human–machine collaboration. In summary, humanoid robots and dexterous hands are inherently complex systems characterized by high flexibility, multi-module integration, and multi-sensor coordination. Leveraging low latency, strong synchronization, modular support, and robust safety mechanisms, EtherCAT has become the ideal industrial-grade communication backbone. It ensures real-time coordination of multi-axis motors and finger movements, supports extensive module chaining, synchronizes control commands, sensor data, and safety signals, while effectively reducing system complexity. Without high-speed communication, humanoid robots cannot achieve natural and fluid motion; without real-time feedback, dexterous hands cannot perform fine operations. Thus, EtherCAT has emerged as the optimal solution for full-body motion control in humanoid robots. Figure-1. Humanoid Robot and Dexterous Hand Smart Manufacturing Application Scenario AX58400 EtherCAT Slave Dual-Core MCU: Humanoid Robot and Dexterous Hand Applications With the rapid advancement of humanoid robots and smart manufacturing, demand for efficient communication and precise control continues to grow. ASIX introduces the AX58400 EtherCAT slave controller with a dual-core MCU, combining EtherCAT technology and dual-core architecture. Featuring high integration, compact packaging, and versatile interface support, it provides a stable and reliable platform for computation and communication in space-constrained designs—making it an ideal solution for humanoid robots and dexterous hands. AX58400 EtherCAT Chip Benefits ž Dual-Core Architecture Role Division: The Cortex-M7 handles application control, multi-axis motor coordination, and sensor feedback, while the Cortex-M4 is dedicated to EtherCAT industrial communication. Operating independently, the two cores ensure real-time performance and reliability, shorten overall cycle time, and enhance motion control sensitivity and precision. ž High-Integration ESC Microcontroller: Integrates a high-performance dual-core MCU, ESC, dual high-speed Ethernet PHY, and large-capacity Flash within a compact 13×13mm BGA package. Designed to reduce external components, it delivers reliable computing and communication for space-limited humanoid robot joints and dexterous hands. ž Large-Capacity Memory Configuration: Integrates 2MB dual-bank Flash and 1MB SRAM to meet complex motor control and real-time computing demands. ž Compact Package Design: Employs TFBGA packaging to enhance heat dissipation, minimize PCB footprint, and lower hardware costs. ž Precise Motor Drive: Equipped with high-resolution timers, PWM, ADC, and incremental encoders to enable accurate multi-axis motor control, while supporting integration of vision, tactile, pressure, and torque sensors. ž Versatile Interface Support: Integrates Ethernet MAC, USB 2.0 OTG, SPI, UART, I²C, and CAN-FD to address diverse requirements in smart manufacturing and robotics. ž Communication Security Assurance: Equipped with AES/TDES/HASH/HMAC hardware encryption engines, along with ROP/PCROP/Anti-tamper technologies to ensure data and firmware security. ž Reliability and Safety: Featuring a dual-core architecture with advanced fault detection, EtherCAT redundancy, and flexible node branching to meet the stringent safety requirements of humanoid robots. ž Low-Power Design: Provides multiple power management modes to reduce energy consumption and extend operating endurance, making it suitable for long-duration service and industrial applications. ž Modular Expansion Capability: Serves as the core for joint or finger modules, interconnected through EtherCAT topology. Supports multi-module collaboration and simplifies system expansion and maintenance. ASIX AxRobot EtherCAT 7-Axis Force-Assisted Control Robot solution integrates a motor assist controller capable of real-time abnormal torque detection and collision recognition, enabling rapid shutdown to ensure operator safety. The solution adopts a modular motor drive design to reduce joint driver board space and lower hardware costs. With EtherCAT daisy-chain topology, communication is simplified, minimizing wiring complexity and maintenance effort—particularly suitable for humanoid and collaborative robots. The AX58400 features high-resolution timers and multi-channel PWM to precisely drive finger joints of dexterous hands, supporting multi-DOF coordinated control and integrating multiple I/O and sensors to ensure natural and smooth hand movements. Through EtherCAT high-speed communication, tactile feedback and control commands are synchronized, while the dual-core architecture simultaneously supports control algorithms and AI edge inference, providing intelligent real-time feedback. Its high level of integration makes modules more compact, reduces PCB space and cost, and maintains performance and stability, delivering a safe, precise, and efficient technological foundation for humanoid robots and dexterous hands. Figure-2. AX58400 EtherCAT Slave Dual-Core MCU: Humanoid Robot and Dexterous Hand Applications Integration Advantages of AX58400 and the STM32 Ecosystem The AX58400 EtherCAT slave controller with a dual-core MCU adopts a system-in-package (SiP) based on STMicroelectronics’ STM32H755 microcontroller, delivering both high performance and high integration in its hardware architecture. Fully compatible with the STM32 MCU ecosystem, it provides significant advantages for humanoid robot and dexterous hand designs, enabling design teams to efficiently complete the entire process from prototyping to mass production. AX58400 supports mainstream development environments such as STM32Cube, Keil, and IAR, enabling engineers to quickly get started and leverage real-time debugging, simulation, and firmware update tools to shorten development cycles. Meanwhile, the STM32 ecosystem further offers software packages for EtherCAT, motor control, and sensor drivers. Developers can directly apply sample programs from the STM32 motor control development kit to rapidly build humanoid robot joints or dexterous hand modules. In addition, STM32’s global developer community offers forums, technical documentation, and open-source projects, allowing design teams to access immediate support and reduce development risks. With this mature ecosystem, teams no longer need to develop communication protocols or control algorithms from scratch, significantly reducing manpower and time costs while accelerating time-to-market. In summary, by integrating the AX58400 with the STM32 MCU ecosystem—leveraging tools, software, community support, and modular design—humanoid robot and dexterous hand products can be rapidly designed, validated, and mass-produced. This not only shortens R&D cycles but also reduces costs and risks, providing a solid foundation for industrial commercialization. Figure-3. STMicroelectronics STM32 MCU Software Development Tools AX58101 Humanoid Robot Application: Cost-Efficient and Safe EtherCAT Junction Topology The AX58101 is a highly integrated 4-port EtherCAT subdevice controller (ESC) featuring dual Fast Ethernet PHYs and dual MII interfaces. It supports port swapping between ESC port 0 and port 2, offering flexible options to meet diverse network topology requirements. In mainstream 8-port EtherCAT junction designs, only three AX58101 chips combined with two external PHYs are sufficient to complete the design with ease. Compared with traditional solutions that typically require at least six EtherCAT chips and six external PHYs, the AX58101 significantly reduces hardware costs and PCB space. In humanoid robot applications, the AX58101 serves as an EtherCAT junction, working with a central EtherCAT MainDevice and multiple AX58400 EtherCAT SubDevices to establish a high-performance modular communication architecture. This configuration enables precise, real-time control of multi-axis motors in the head, arms, legs, and dexterous hands. Each SubDevice can independently drive multiple motors while integrating vision, tactile, pressure, and torque sensors to deliver immediate feedback, resulting in smoother and more natural movements. By combining EtherCAT daisy-chain and junction hybrid topologies, the architecture allows flexible module connections, simplifies wiring, and improves maintenance efficiency. To further enhance system reliability and safety, ASIX offers an AX58101 EtherCAT junction redundancy design. Branch endpoints can be looped back to another junction port, forming a ring communication path. In the event of a link failure, the system automatically switches to the backup channel, ensuring uninterrupted communication—particularly important in high-risk or complex environments. In advanced humanoid robot systems, multiple EtherCAT MainDevices can be deployed, each managing real-time control of different body parts to improve motion coordination and adaptability. In summary, the EtherCAT junction topology enabled by AX58101 not only supports parallel multi-module operation but also strengthens safety, reliability, and scalability through redundancy and multi-MainDevices architecture, making it an ideal foundation for humanoid robot communication and drive solutions. Figure-4. AX58101 Humanoid Robot Application: EtherCAT Junction Topology Conclusion The design of humanoid robots and dexterous hands represents a major challenge in smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence, and is an indispensable step in advancing ‘Physical AI’. With rapidly growing market demand, systems must simultaneously ensure flexible motion, multi-axis coordination, real-time feedback, and high safety. Leveraging high-speed transmission, low latency, strong synchronization, and excellent scalability, EtherCAT technology has become the core of industrial communication. The AX58400 dual-core microcontroller integrates both communication and control functions, offering low power consumption and built-in safety mechanisms. Fully compatible with the STM32 MCU ecosystem, it provides comprehensive tools and technical support to accelerate the transition from design to mass production, making it particularly well-suited for precision modules such as dexterous hands. Meanwhile, the AX58101 junction solution employs a highly integrated design to reduce hardware costs and PCB footprint, while supporting hybrid daisy-chain and junction topologies with redundancy features to further enhance system reliability and safety. Overall, the AX58400 and AX58101 jointly deliver a high-performance, reliable, and scalable communication and drive solution. This not only increases the value of humanoid robots and dexterous hands but also helps customers bring products to market more quickly, establishing a solid technological foundation for smart manufacturing and “Physical AI”. ASIX Electronics Corporation https://www.asix.com.tw/
EtherCAT技術憑藉高速傳輸、低延遲、高同步性與靈活且高擴展性的菊花鏈與節點分岐拓樸，成為人形機器人與靈巧手設計的關鍵技術。 前言 全球人形機器人的成長動能，主要來自人口老化與勞動力短缺，推升醫療照護與服務型機器人的需求；智慧製造與工業4.0的浪潮，更帶動工廠對高自由度協作型機器人的渴求。隨著AI演算法成熟、感測器技術突破，以及高效能運算平台普及，人形機器人展現出更自然的動作、更精細的操作能力與更高的自主性，成為智慧工廠、醫療照護及危險環境的最佳解決方案。EtherCAT技術憑藉高速傳輸、低延遲、高同步性與靈活且高擴展性的菊花鏈（Daisy Chain）與節點分岐拓樸，成為人形機器人與靈巧手設計的關鍵技術。 人形機器人與靈巧手產品設計關鍵技術 在人形機器人設計中，工程師需兼顧靈活運動、多軸協同、精準控制與即時回饋，才能重現自然動作並完成精細操作。其中，靈巧手是最具挑戰性的子系統，需在有限空間內重現複雜結構，並整合驅動、感測與通訊模組。每根手指由伺服馬達或微型致動器協同運作，可精細調整抓握力，既能穩固持重物，也能輕柔操作易碎品。靈巧手同時整合壓力、溫度與滑動感測器，提供觸覺回饋，支援電子組裝與醫療輔助等精密任務。EtherCAT技術確保多指動作即時協同，並支援模組化設計，提升維護與擴展效率。結合AI與邊緣運算，靈巧手能即時調整策略，在人機互動中展現更自然的協作。 人形機器人核心技術重點 ž 高自由度與多軸協同：確保數十至上百個自由度的馬達同步運作，避免延遲或不協調。 ž 即時反應與高精度控制：EtherCAT微秒級通訊週期支撐多軸馬達精準控制。 ž 多感測器整合：整合IMU（慣性測量單元）、力矩、壓力、溫度與視覺模組，支援即時演算與決策。 ž 靈巧手精細操作：多伺服馬達或微型驅動器協同控制，兼顧穩固握持與輕柔操作。 ž 觸覺回饋：壓力、滑動與溫度感測器提供即時觸覺資訊，提升互動精度。 ž 模組化設計：EtherCAT菊花鏈拓撲簡化布線，支援多模組快速整合與擴展。 ž 安全與可靠性：錯誤檢測、冗餘路徑與安全協定確保高風險場景下的穩定性。 ž 智慧化互動：結合AI與邊緣運算，即時調整操作策略，提升人機協作自然度。 綜合而言，人形機器人與靈巧手本質上是高靈活度、多模組、多感測器協同運作的複雜系統。EtherCAT技術憑藉低延遲、高同步性、模組化支持與安全機制，成為理想的工業級通訊骨幹。它能確保多軸馬達與多指動作即時協同，支援大量模組串接，同步傳輸控制指令、感測數據與安全訊號，並有效降低系統複雜度。缺乏高速通訊，人形機器人難以展現自然流暢的動作；缺乏即時回饋，靈巧手也無法完成精細操作。因此，EtherCAT已成為人形機器人全身運動控制的最佳解決方案。 （圖一） 人形機器人與靈巧手智慧製造應用情境 AX58400 EtherCAT從站雙核微控制器：人形機器人與靈巧手應用 隨著人形機器人與智慧製造的快速發展，市場對高效通訊與精密控制的需求持續攀升。亞信電子推出AX58400 EtherCAT從站雙核微控制器，以雙核心架構結合EtherCAT技術，兼具高整合度、小型封裝與多元介面支援，能在空間受限的設計中提供穩定可靠的運算與通訊基礎，成為人形機器人與靈巧手應用的理想核心方案。 AX58400 EtherCAT晶片核心優勢 ž 雙核心架構分工：Cortex M7專注於應用控制、多軸馬達與感測器回饋；Cortex M4負責EtherCAT工業通訊。兩者互不干擾，確保即時性與可靠性，並有效縮短整體週期時間，提升運動控制的靈敏度與精準度。 ž 高整合ESC微控制器：將高效能雙核微控制器、ESC、雙高速乙太網路PHY與大容量Flash整合於13×13mm BGA封裝中，減少外部器件需求，特別適合空間受限的靈巧手與人形機器人關節設計。 ž 大容量記憶體配置：內建2MB Dual Bank Flash與1MB SRAM，可支援複雜的馬達控制與即時演算需求。 ž 小型封裝設計：採用TFBGA封裝，提升散熱效率，同時降低PCB空間與硬體成本。 ž 精準馬達驅動：支援高分辨率計時器、PWM、ADC與增量編碼器，可精準控制多軸馬達，並整合視覺、觸覺、壓力與力矩感測器。 ž 多元介面支援：提供乙太網路MAC、USB 2.0 OTG、SPI/UART/I2C/CANFD等，滿足智慧製造與機器人多樣化需求。 ž 通訊安全保障：搭載AES/TDES/HASH/HMAC硬體加密引擎，並具備ROP/PCROP/Anti‑tamper技術，確保資料與韌體安全。 ž 可靠性與安全性：雙核架構搭配故障檢測與保護機制，支援EtherCAT冗餘設計，並結合靈活的EtherCAT節點分岐設計，滿足人形機器人高安全性需求。 ž 低功耗設計：提供多種低功耗電源管理模式，有效降低能耗並延長續航力，適合長時間運作的服務型與工業應用。 ž 模組化擴展能力：可作為關節或手指模組核心，透過EtherCAT拓樸快速串接，支援多模組協同，便於系統擴展與維護。 亞信電子的「AxRobot EtherCAT七軸助力控制機器手臂解決方案」內建馬達助力控制器，可即時偵測異常扭力並判斷突發碰撞，迅速停機以保障人員安全。此方案採用模組化馬達驅動設計，縮減關節驅動板空間並降低硬體成本，並透過EtherCAT菊花鏈拓樸簡化通訊連接，減少線路複雜度與維護難度，特別適合人型機器人與協作型機器人。同時，AX58400具備高分辨率計時器與多通道PWM，可精準驅動靈巧手的手指關節，支援多自由度協同控制並整合多組I/O與感測器，確保手部動作自然流暢。透過EtherCAT高速通訊同步觸覺回饋與控制指令，雙核架構更能同時支援控制演算法與AI邊緣推論，即時提供智慧化反饋。其高整合度設計讓模組更精簡，降低PCB空間與成本，同時維持效能與穩定性，為人形機器人與靈巧手提供安全、精準且高效的技術基礎。 （圖二） 亞信AX58400 EtherCAT從站雙核微控制器：人形機器人與靈巧手產品應用 AX58400與STM32生態系統的整合優勢 亞信電子AX58400 EtherCAT從站雙核微控制器，採用基於意法半導體STM32H755的系統級封裝（SiP），在硬體架構上兼具高效能與高整合度，並與STM32 MCU完整生態系統相容，為人形機器人與靈巧手設計帶來顯著優勢。透過此結合，設計團隊可快速完成從原型到量產的全流程。 AX58400支援STM32Cube、Keil、IAR等主流開發環境，工程師能迅速上手，並利用即時除錯、模擬與韌體更新工具縮短開發週期。同時，STM32生態系統提供EtherCAT、馬達控制與感測器驅動等軟體套件，開發者可透過STM32馬達控制開發套件直接套用範例程式，快速建立人形機器人關節或靈巧手模組。再加上STM32全球龐大的開發者社群，提供論壇、技術文件與開源專案，設計團隊能即時獲得支援，降低開發風險。透過成熟的STM32生態系統，團隊無需從零開發通訊協定或控制演算法，大幅減少人力與時間成本，加速產品上市。綜合而言，AX58400結合STM32 MCU生態系統，憑藉工具、軟體、社群與模組化支援的多重優勢，使人形機器人與靈巧手產品能快速完成設計、驗證與量產，不僅縮短研發週期，也降低成本與風險，為產業商業化落地提供強大助力。 （圖三） 意法半導體STM32 MCU軟體開發工具 AX58101人形機器人應用：兼具低成本與高安全性的EtherCAT節點分岐拓樸架構 AX58101是一款高整合度的4埠EtherCAT子設備控制器（ESC），內建雙高速乙太網路PHY與雙MII介面，並支援埠0與埠2的互換功能，能靈活滿足各種網路拓樸需求。在市場主流的8埠EtherCAT分歧器設計中，僅需3顆AX58101搭配2顆外接PHY，即可輕鬆完成設計；相較於傳統方案至少需要6顆EtherCAT晶片與6顆外接PHY，能有效降低硬體成本並縮減PCB空間。 在人形機器人應用中，AX58101可作為EtherCAT分歧器，搭配中央EtherCAT主設備與多組AX58400子設備，建構高效模組化通訊架構，即時精準地控制頭部、手部、腳部與靈巧手等多軸馬達。各子設備可獨立驅動多組馬達，並整合視覺、觸覺、壓力與力矩感測器，提供即時回饋，讓動作更自然流暢。此架構結合菊花鏈與節點分歧混合拓樸，模組可依需求靈活串接，簡化布線並提升維護效率。 為提升系統的可靠性與安全性，亞信電子另外提供AX58101 EtherCAT節點分歧拓樸冗餘設計功能，可將分支末端回接至分歧器另一埠，形成環狀通訊路徑。當路徑斷線時，系統能自動切換至備援通道，確保通訊不中斷，特別適合高風險或複雜地形環境下的人形機器人應用。此外，高階人形機器人系統亦可配置多個EtherCAT主設備，分別負責不同部位的即時控制，進一步提升整體運動協調性與環境適應能力。綜合而言，AX58101所建構的EtherCAT節點分歧拓樸，不僅支援多模組並行運作，更透過分歧冗餘與多主設備架構，全面強化系統的安全性、可靠性與擴展性，成為人形機器人通訊與驅動的理想技術基礎。 （圖四） AX58101人形機器人應用：EtherCAT節點分岐拓樸架構 結論 人形機器人與靈巧手的設計，是智慧製造與人工智慧領域的重要挑戰，也是推動「物理AI」不可或缺的一環。隨著市場需求快速成長，系統必須同時兼顧靈活運動、多軸協同、即時回饋與高度安全。EtherCAT技術憑藉高速傳輸、低延遲、高同步性與優異擴展能力，已成為工業通訊的核心。 亞信電子AX58400雙核微控制器整合通訊與控制，具備低功耗與安全機制，並相容STM32 MCU生態系統，能加速設計到量產流程，特別適合靈巧手等精密模組。AX58101分歧器則以高整合度設計降低成本與PCB空間，並支援菊花鏈與分歧混合拓撲及冗餘機制，提升系統可靠性與安全性。綜合而言，AX58400與AX58101共同打造高效能、可靠且可擴展的通訊與驅動解決方案，不僅提升人形機器人與靈巧手的價值，更協助客戶快速推向市場，成為智慧製造與「物理AI」的重要技術基礎。 亞信電子（ASIX Electronics Corporation） 亞信電子官方網站: https://www.asix.com.tw/
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