Profile

Franka Robotics (formerly Franka Emika) is a German research-driven robotics company headquartered in Munich. Founded in 2016 by Sami Haddadin and a team of experts, the company was acquired by Agile Robots SE in 2023. Franka develops advanced collaborative robot platforms designed as a reference system for Physical AI and robotics research. Its mission is to empower the global community of robotics and AI professionals by providing highly capable, human-safe, and developer-friendly robotic systems that accelerate breakthroughs in embodied intelligence, tactile interaction, and real-world robot learning.

Franka’s robots are engineered with exceptional sensitivity, precision, and safety features, making them ideal for both academic research and industrial automation. They emphasize torque-controlled operation, high-resolution sensing, and open interfaces that allow deep customization and integration with modern AI frameworks.

Key Robot-Based Products:

Franka Research 3: A highly advanced collaborative robot arm optimized for research and AI development. It features 7 degrees of freedom, integrated torque sensors in every joint, and exceptional compliance and sensitivity. The robot supports advanced control modes, real-time interfaces (FCI – Franka Control Interface), and is widely used in universities and research labs for manipulation, learning from demonstration, and tactile intelligence studies.
Franka Production 3: The industrial version designed for real-world automation tasks. It offers robust performance, safety-certified operation, and easy integration into production lines for assembly, quality inspection, and delicate handling applications.
Franka GELLO and GELLO Duo: Open-source hardware platforms (recently released STL files) that extend the ecosystem for custom research setups and mobile manipulation experiments.

Franka provides comprehensive software tools, including the Franka Control Interface, simulation environments, and developer resources. Its platforms are known for their human-like dexterity, intuitive programming, and strong focus on safety (power and force limiting). The company actively supports the research community through open-source contributions, academic partnerships, and events, while also serving industrial customers seeking flexible, intelligent automation. Franka continues to push the boundaries of collaborative robotics and Physical AI, positioning its platforms as foundational tools for the next generation of intelligent machines.