Silica
Silica builds actuators with integrated torque sensing that measure force directly at the joint output, enabling robots to feel contact as light as a paperclip. The Q Series lineup spans four sizes for applications from fingers to knees, with pre-orders open and production starting January 2027.
- Robotics
- Hardware
Funding
Raised to date
$500KRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Founder details are not available yet.
Product
Problem
Today's robots are numb—their software is smart, but most of their bodies can't feel what they touch. Developers write increasingly complex code to work around the lack of physical sensation, and most actuators can only estimate force from motor current, which is imprecise and fails to capture real contact at the joint.
Solution
Silica builds a nervous system into the hardware, so every joint feels the world around it. Its actuators measure torque directly at the output, where the joint meets the load, rather than estimating force from motor current. This hardware-level sensing records every demonstration, rollout, and contact as real force data, reducing the need for software workarounds. The Q Series actuators are designed to replace servos, fingers, grippers, and larger joints across robotic applications, with prototypes in customers' hands by December 2026 and production beginning January 2027.
Target Audience
Primary customers are robotics developers and manufacturers building physical AI systems that require precise force sensing in applications such as manipulation, humanoid robotics, and industrial automation.
Features
- Direct torque measurement at the joint output, capable of detecting forces as light as a paperclip
- Four actuator sizes: Q-01 (Ø20 mm, 0.4 N·m peak) for fingers and grippers, Q-3 (Ø57 mm, 12 N·m peak) for necks and upper arms, Q-9 (Ø57 mm, 27 N·m peak) for shoulders and elbows, and Q-13 (Ø98 mm, 40 N·m peak) for waists and knees
- Custom actuator options for different sizes, torque requirements, or interfaces
- Hardware-integrated sensing that records real force data for every demonstration and rollout
- Pre-order availability with production scheduled to start January 2027