Humanoid Robots Fuel Surge for Magnetic Encoders: MEMSIC Positions for New Opportunities in Position Sensing

Humanoid robots have emerged as one of the most promising new growth drivers within the hard-tech industrial chain. Unlike earlier prototypes largely limited to laboratory demonstrations, the humanoid robot industry is now entering a critical phase spanning prototype launches, scenario validation and supply chain restructuring. As OEMs continuously iterate their products, the importance of core components including motion control systems, sensors, motors and reducers has been further amplified.

Within the industrial chain, computing chips, servo motors and reducers often attract the bulk of attention. However, as humanoid robots evolve from “being able to move” toward “stable operation”, the value of underlying sensing components is being re-evaluated. Every movement the robot makes — lifting legs, turning, grasping and handling objects — relies on continuous perception of its own motion status. Among these components, magnetic encoders, which deliver angle and position data, are evolving from basic auxiliary parts for traditional industrial control into critical building blocks of intelligent motion systems.

Humanoid Robots Amplify Demand for Position Sensing

What differentiates humanoid robots from conventional automated equipment lies in their more complex motion structures, higher degrees of freedom and open operating environments. Traditional industrial robots usually perform repetitive tasks at fixed workstations with predictable motion trajectories and controlled surroundings. In contrast, humanoid robots must walk, turn, squat, transport and grasp objects in real-world environments, requiring continuous, coordinated and stable movement across multiple joints.

This significantly raises the bar for position feedback requirements. Each joint and every motor actuator needs real-time awareness of its current angle, rotation direction and positional changes. Only with continuous feedback can the control system dynamically adjust motor output, enabling smoother, more precise and controllable robotic movements. Systems with more degrees of freedom and sophisticated motion sequences have greater reliance on position-sensing components.

Against this backdrop, magnetic encoders are unlocking new application potential. As key devices for angle and position measurement, magnetic encoders provide motion feedback for robot joints, servo motors and other systems. Compared with certain conventional position sensing solutions, magnetic encoders feature compact form factors, easy integration and strong environmental adaptability, making them well-suited for robot joint modules constrained by limited space, continuous operation and frequent vibration and shock.

More importantly, the humanoid robot industry is driven not by individual components alone but by highly sophisticated system engineering. The quality of position feedback at a single joint affects not only the control performance of its motor, but also the coordination, stability and safety of the entire robot. As robots transition from short demo runs to long-duration continuous operation, foundational feedback components such as magnetic encoders will grow even more essential.

From "Able to Move" to "Moving Stably": The Reassessment of Magnetic Encoder Value

In the early phase of the humanoid robot industry, the industry primarily focused on whether robots could complete basic actions such as standing, walking and object handling. As commercialization accelerates, evaluation criteria are shifting. Future robots must not merely “move”, but “move steadily, accurately and durably”. For robots deployed in factories, warehouses, commercial service settings and even homes, long-term stable operation, low failure rates and consistent motion performance are the decisive factors for large-scale commercial adoption.

This trend is pushing upstream components from “functional” toward “high-performance, durable and mass-producible”. As a vital feedback node within the motion control closed loop, magnetic encoders are rising in strategic value. Robot joints are compact and subject to high-frequency movement, persistent shock and vibration, and complex electromagnetic environments. Position sensors must therefore deliver high-precision angle detection while balancing size, power consumption, anti-interference capability and long-term reliability.

From an industrial chain perspective, magnetic encoders were long treated as standard components in industrial automation and motor control systems, with market focus concentrated on discrete precision and stability metrics. For humanoid robot applications, however, position feedback components carry greater significance. They bridge motor actuation, control algorithms and overall robotic motion performance, forming the foundation for stable motion control.

With advances in robot joint modules, dexterous hands and servo systems, magnetic encoders are set to evolve from conventional auxiliary components into strategically important sensing hardware. The market will no longer evaluate products solely by individual specifications; greater emphasis will be placed on overall performance: ease of integration, compatibility with diverse mechanical designs, consistent mass-production capability and reliable long-term output under complex operating conditions.

New Energy Vehicles Unlock Another Growth Curve

If humanoid robots represent high-growth potential for magnetic encoders, new energy vehicles provide a more mature, dependable application base. The rapid expansion of the NEV industry in recent years has driven upgrades to electric drive systems, electronic control units, thermal management, smart chassis and body actuators. As vehicles transition from mechanical control to electrified, intelligent and drive-by-wire architectures, more mechanical functions are implemented by motors and actuators, creating greater demand for position detection and status feedback.

Position sensing in new energy vehicles is not limited to one single use case but deployed across multiple subsystems. Electric drive systems require rotor position data to deliver more efficient and smooth power output; electric power steering systems rely on real-time steering angle and actuator status to guarantee handling stability. Thermal management systems, valve controls, pump assemblies and body actuators also depend on position feedback to achieve precise control.

Beyond opening new application scenarios, new energy vehicles raise industry standards for product reliability and engineering maturity. Automotive applications impose stringent requirements on temperature range, vibration and shock resistance, EMC, service life and batch-to-batch consistency. Qualifying for automotive electronics supply chains means products must meet performance specifications and pass long-duration validation under harsh working conditions.

Therefore, the market pull from NEVs and humanoid robots is not mutually exclusive. The NEV market prioritizes reliability, mass scalability and supply chain maturity, while humanoid robots demand high integration, lightweight design and compatibility with sophisticated motion control. Together, these two verticals push magnetic encoders from industrial auxiliary components toward higher-performance, more reliable and system-oriented position sensing devices.

Twin Growth Engines: MEMSIC Precisely Captures Industry Opportunities

The fundamental driver behind rising demand for magnetic encoders extends beyond growing consumption of a single component. Intelligent motion systems are becoming a shared infrastructure enabling upgrades for robots, new energy vehicles and industrial automation. Historically, position feedback was mainly deployed in industrial equipment, servo motors and automated production lines within relatively stable use cases, with well-established market understanding of encoders. Today, accelerated industrialization of humanoid robots and continuous electrification and drive-by-wire adoption in NEVs have ushered in a new demand cycle for position sensors. On one hand, rising quantities of joints, motors and actuators generate greater volume demand. On the other hand, end systems impose higher requirements for precision, reliability, footprint, power consumption and mass-production consistency, driving magnetic encoders to evolve from conventional supporting parts into critical links in intelligent motion control.

This also creates new opportunities for domestic sensor manufacturers. Magnetic encoder development demands not only chip performance, but also expertise in magnetic sensing technology, signal processing, ASIC design, packaging & testing, algorithm compensation, system adaptation and mass-production stability. As robot and NEV supply chains accelerate localization, enterprises with integrated R&D, manufacturing, validation and application support capabilities stand better positioned to capture market opportunities.

Against this backdrop, MEMSIC’s investment in magnetic encoders taps into these two high-growth tracks: robots and new energy vehicles. A long-standing sensor specialist, MEMSIC has built solid technological foundations in motion-sensing products including accelerometers and 6-axis IMUs. The addition of magnetic encoders extends its motion-sensing portfolio from inertial sensing (attitude, acceleration and angular velocity measurement) into angle and position feedback.

In terms of products and applications, MEMSIC’s magnetic encoders adopt the AMR technology route and support 0–360° angle measurement. Featuring high precision, high sensitivity and low noise, they are suitable for robot joints, servo motors, industrial equipment knobs, NEV actuators and other scenarios. MEMSIC maintains in-house capabilities for MEMS and ASIC development, system simulation and validation, alongside AMR manufacturing expertise, supporting performance optimization, stable supply and cost control.

For MEMSIC, developing magnetic encoders is more than launching a new product category. It further completes the company’s product portfolio to meet demand for multi-dimensional motion sensing in smart devices. From industrial automation to new energy vehicles and humanoid robots, the industrial value of magnetic encoders is being redefined, and these devices are poised to become a key enabler for MEMSIC’s expansion into robotics and automotive electronics markets.