Sales in Korea have begun for Hypershell, a wearable robot that serves to augment physical abilities. Hypershell is a Chinese robot startup that won the Best of Innovation award in the Robotics institutional sector at CES, the world's largest information technology (IT) show, last year. The product name is also Hypershell. As Korean consumers continued to buy directly from overseas, it partnered with domestic service robot company VD Robotics to target the Korean market.
On the 24th, VD Robotics said it will officially launch Hypershell in the Korean market, holding a "Hypershell Korea launch press briefing" at Community Masil in Jung-gu, Seoul. VD Robotics holds exclusive domestic distribution rights and will handle Hypershell's domestic marketing, sales, distribution and after-sales service (AS).
The "Hypershell X series" being released this time is an exoskeleton device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help augment and control strength at needed moments in line with terrain and the user's movements. It is said that more than 30,000 units have been sold worldwide to date.
When the 1.8-kilogram exoskeleton robot is worn around the waist and legs, the robot assists the hip joints and thighs, helping the wearer expend less effort and move faster and farther. The company said that when worn, it reduces the user's heart rate and physical fatigue by 42% and 39%, respectively.
After actually putting on one of the products, "Hypershell Go," and setting it to hyper mode (a mode that assists with greater force), it felt like the robot was pushing the legs powerfully. When I started climbing stairs, it pulled the reporter's legs up in step with the movement.
Even when climbing two steps at a time, it definitely felt like less muscle strength was needed. However, when the device was not worn at the precise positions on the waist and legs, it felt as if the robot's assistive force was not being fully transmitted in sync with the user's movements.
A VD Robotics official said, "You have to wear the device correctly, and an optimization process between the device and the user through a tutorial must come first," adding, "It usually takes about three days, after which the robot and the user become one through AI learning."
Hypershell's AI motion engine automatically recognizes 12 scenarios, including stairs, downhill paths, snowy roads and bicycles, and also learns the user's movements. It is being released in four models designed for different purposes with distinct AI modes and motor performance: Ultra (3.29 million won), Carbon (2.89 million won), Pro (1.99 million won) and Go (1.49 million won).
VD Robotics plans to expand the wearable robot market, which had focused on medical and rehabilitation, into the outdoor sector. A VD Robotics official said, "Statistics show Korea is a country where six out of 10 people exercise and, at the same time, have a preference for premium equipment," adding, "It's a market with great potential."
Hypershell presented a goal of selling 20,000 units and achieving 40 billion won in revenue by 2028. To build early recognition and quickly expand market share, it is pursuing entry not only into its own online mall but also into e-commerce platforms such as Naver and Coupang, and Hyundai Ezwel. The company added that it is also preparing to enter major department stores and large mart electronics sections.
It is also preparing to expand into B2B and B2G sectors going forward. Hypershell previously donated 200 units of its product in Hong Kong to assist firefighters wearing heavy equipment with firefighting and search operations during a fire incident. In Korea, it plans to hold discussions with the Korea Forest Service and the Korea National Park Service.
Meanwhile, domestic wearable robot companies are mainly focusing on robots for industrial, medical and rehabilitation purposes. FRT Robotics unveiled its StepUp NEO exoskeleton robot tailored for industrial sites at the "Korea Construction Safety Expo 2025" last year. Angel Robotics launched its Angel Legs M20 rehabilitation robot for patients with lower-body paralysis at a national university hospital in Malaysia last month.