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Technical Column
The Role of Crystal Devices for Robots in the Physical AI Era
*Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Introduction
Physical AI and humanoid robots have attracted increasing attention in recent years. These systems require stable operation of numerous actuators and sensors, as well as advanced AI processing capabilities. To support the evolution and expansion of robotics, we offer a wide lineup of products that meet a variety of design requirements, including compact size, high precision, and high frequency.
Robots in the Physical AI Era
With the emergence of Physical AI, robots are evolving from machines that accurately perform programmed tasks into systems that make autonomous decisions and adapt to their environments. Humanoid robots are a symbolic example of this shift. In the future, they are expected to operate autonomously in the same spaces as people, not only in factories but also in logistics warehouses, healthcare settings, homes, and other environments.
Physical AI: AI that learns from data on actions in physical spaces and uses robots as its hands and feet to perform physical tasks.

Architecture of Physical AI and Humanoid Robots
Key differences from conventional industrial robots include: (1) the use of many actuators due to an increased number of joints, (2) the need for resistance to external environmental changes, such as room temperature fluctuations, to ensure stable operation, and (3) higher performance requirements for AI chips that handle integrated processing. Timing devices used in these systems must also meet requirements for compact/ultra-compact size, high precision, and high frequency.
Block Diagram (Humanoid Robot)

Strengths of Our Products
As functionality advances and the number of joints increases, the number of modules is expected to rise, driving demand for compact components. Our products feature compact packages and low-power designs, making them ideal for robotics applications.
Robots are expected to operate in a wide range of environments, including outdoor settings. Our high-precision TCXOs can maintain stable operation even in environments with temperature fluctuations.
Low jitter is required especially for high-performance AI modules that require high-speed signal transmission. Our ultra-low jitter products help improve overall system quality.
Our products cover a wide frequency range from 8 MHz to 625 MHz and can be customized to meet specific requirements. Our high-frequency products, in particular, leverage photolithography technology to deliver superior quality.
Robots that operate near people require a high level of safety. We have extensive experience in the automotive field and offer product lineups that comply with the automotive-grade safety standards AEC-Q100 and AEC-Q200.
Product Examples by Application
The following are examples. We support product adoption through technical support, including providing samples and circuit evaluation.
| Application | Crystal Devices Used | Clock Frequency |
|---|---|---|
|
PCIe AI accelerator *Peripheral Component Interconnect Express |
・Differential Output SPXO | 100/125MHz |
|
10GbE AI accelerator *10 Gigabit Ethernet |
・Differential Output SPXO | 156.25MHz |
|
CSI AI accelerator *Camera Serial Interface |
・Crystal Units (MHz range)
・Crystal Unit with Built-in Temperature Sensor ・SPXO |
Camera: 24/26/27 MHz SoC: 19.2/25 MHz |
| MCU/FPGA | ・Crystal Units (MHz range) | 8/12/16/25MHz |
| Sensor |
・Tuning Fork Crystal Units (kHz range)
・Crystal Units (MHz range) ・TCXO ・SPXO |
32.768kHz 10/20MHz 40/50MHz |
| PWM-controlled actuator | ・Crystal Units (MHz range) | 24/32MHz |
| Motion control actuator |
・Tuning Fork Crystal Units (kHz range)
・Crystal Units (MHz range) ・SPXO |
32.768kHz 40MHz |
| Networked actuator | ・Crystal Units (MHz range) | 25/50 MHz |
| Wireless communication | ・Crystal Units (MHz range) | 26/38.4/40/48MHz |
We will continue to help solve electronics challenges in the growing robotics market and a wide range of other industries, contributing to more reliable high-speed communications and more precise control.
Contact
Please feel free to contact us regarding any consultation or technical questions about crystal devices.
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Product inquiries TEL: 03-5453-6723
E-mail: newsrelease@ndk.com