SoC design solution startup ITDA Semiconductor (CEO Ho-Yeon Jeon) is expanding its business footprint from automotive chips into the robotics semiconductor market. According to industry sources on July 27, the company is leveraging its proprietary System-on-Chip (SoC) design automation technology to broaden its reach into the rapidly growing robotics and humanoid industries.
To support this expansion, ITDA Semiconductor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this month with TUV Rheinland Korea, a global testing and certification body. The agreement establishes a framework for exchanging technical insights and deepening understanding of regulatory standards and industry trends in robotics and humanoids. This follows the company's achievement in May, when it earned ISO 26262 certification—the international standard for functional safety in automotive electrical and electronic systems.
While the humanoid robot market is still in its infancy, it is projected to grow exponentially over the mid-to-long term. Industrial players in China are currently leading early research and limited commercial deployments, while global pioneers like Tesla with Optimus and Boston Dynamics with Atlas are preparing for mass production. By the mid-to-late 2030s, falling costs and performance breakthroughs are expected to drive widespread adoption across manufacturing and logistics.
Developing SoCs for robotics presents immense design complexity. It requires multi-heterogeneous computing technology to integrate multiple actuators for power and motor control, sensors, computer vision, and AI inference modules onto a single silicon die. Because many robots run on battery power, these chips must deliver high power efficiency for extended operation, precise clock synchronization, sophisticated power domain management, and uncompromising reliability—making design automation indispensable.
At the core of ITDA Semiconductor's offerings is “SoC Canvas,” a no-code, GUI-based automation tool. The solution automates the complex design of power, clocking, testing, and system integration within an SoC. By doing so, it reduces design cycles by 20% to 30%, improves power efficiency, and significantly minimizes human error.
Furthermore, industrial, collaborative, and humanoid robots must meet rigorous functional safety standards, such as ISO 13849 and IEC 62061. Having already secured the automotive ISO 26262 certification gives ITDA Semiconductor a distinct advantage in meeting these robotics safety requirements. Both frameworks share fundamental methodologies, including Functional Safety Management (FSM) processes, risk analysis, safety integrity levels, and end-to-end traceability.
“Through our SoC design automation technology, ITDA Semiconductor is streamlining the complexity of robotics chip development while boosting overall design efficiency and productivity,” an ITDA Semiconductor official said. “This partnership will enhance our understanding of international safety requirements and regulatory standards for the humanoid robotics sector.”
