[BioTimes] As population aging, workforce decline, and tighter industrial safety regulations converge, the wearable robot market is emerging as a new alternative. Adoption of industrial exoskeletons is spreading rapidly, particularly across logistics, construction, and care sectors, positioning technology that reduces workers' physical burden as a core element of industrial competitiveness.

FRT Robotics, a specialist developer and manufacturer of industrial exoskeletons, has led the wearable robot field through a decade of continuous technical innovation. The company designs its products around practical usability across diverse work environments — logistics, manufacturing, and care — rather than technical implementation alone. Under the corporate philosophy of "Field Robotics Technology," it aims to deliver robot technology that can be put to immediate use at real industrial sites, not in a laboratory.

We spoke with CEO Jang Jae-ho.

Developing Muscle-Assist Wearable Robots Worn at the Waist

CEO Jang Jae-ho is a founder and executive who has led the commercialization of wearable robot technology. Building on wearable robot research conducted at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, he established FRT Robotics in 2015. His stated goal is to create safer, more efficient industrial sites through harmony between people and technology. FRT Robotics currently operates technical divisions covering AI, design, control, industrial design, and production, alongside sales, marketing, and management functions, with a total of 20 staff.

"While conducting R&D at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, I came to believe that technology should be returned to society and genuinely help people in the field," CEO Jang said. "I founded FRT Robotics to apply research outcomes directly at industrial sites and develop them into technology that provides real help to workers."

Drawing on technical capability accumulated through long-term national R&D projects, FRT Robotics is leading both productization and market expansion for industrial exoskeletons. The company develops and manufactures wearable robots that reduce workers' physical burden and help prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Looking ahead, it has set out a vision of growing into an industrial physical AI-based data platform company.

Its flagship product, the StepUp series, is a muscle-assist wearable robot worn at the waist. It was developed to reduce the physical burden arising from repetitive heavy-load handling, patient transfer, and extended lower-back use. Product development accelerated as the need to protect worker health grew not only at industrial sites but also in nursing and care settings.

StepUp users can perform their existing work exactly as before while wearing the equipment. When lifting objects or bending forward, the device effectively distributes the load concentrated on the lower back and reduces muscle exertion, lowering work fatigue.

"The muscle-assist function reduces lower-back muscle fatigue during work by 45%, and significantly lowers both fatigue and injury risk even during extended tasks," CEO Jang explained. "Beyond preventing musculoskeletal disorders, it can improve both work sustainability and productivity for workers."

He added, "Our primary users are workers engaged in repetitive heavy-load tasks or work involving heavy lower-back use, as well as care workers, and we are receiving positive responses from actual users. Field feedback frequently notes reduced physical fatigue after long work sessions, and cases leading to additional adoption or expanded application after testing are increasing."

FRT Robotics is pursuing development of upper-body assist robots and walking-assist wearable robots alongside its lower-back products. The company is expanding its business scope as an integrated wearable robot technology company supporting human work capability.

Expanding Application Across Care, Healthcare, and Other Private-Sector Industries

FRT Robotics is broadening its application range across forestry, firefighting, logistics, and construction, as well as private-sector fields including care and healthcare. Through the Innovative Procurement Product system, its products have been adopted by the Korea Forest Service and the National Fire Agency, and the company has secured field applicability and reliability by carrying out demonstration projects through Seoul