Mobile Collaborative Robots and Autonomous Logistics Robots
Securing an Integrated Control System for Multiple Robot Types
[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Hyundai Mobis is unveiling robots that can be utilized in general manufacturing sites or smart factories. This is robot technology that collaborates safely through human-robot interaction. Hyundai Mobis, which is strengthening its core future car technology capabilities such as electrification and autonomous driving, is applying related technologies to secure its own competitiveness in the new robotics business sector.
Hyundai Mobis recently announced on the 27th that it has completed the development of autonomous mobile collaborative robots and logistics robot systems based on autonomous driving, and has started pilot operations at the Ulsan electrification plant. Collaborative robots and logistics robots can be used in manufacturing or logistics hubs and service sites. Hyundai Mobis has also succeeded in independently developing an integrated controller and control system to provide such robot solutions.
The mobile collaborative robot with a multi-joint robotic arm autonomously moves in environments such as factories or offices and performs joint tasks together with workers. The mobile collaborative robot is equipped with cameras and LiDAR sensors and can perform various movements such as forward, backward, and lateral driving.
The biggest feature of this robot is its capability for mobile service. Unlike general industrial robots or wearable robots, the mobile collaborative robot has a wide range of applications not only in manufacturing sites but also in homes and stores. Using the vision camera and the moving arm mounted on the robot, it can perform various tasks that involve human-robot interaction, such as neatly organizing products on store shelves or serving coffee made by a barista to customers' tables.
Along with this, the autonomous logistics robot developed by Hyundai Mobis is a low-profile robot that freely moves between manufacturing lines and logistics warehouses, transporting necessary items or materials for work. This robot, with a height of 15.2 cm, can carry up to 200 kg and has a lifting capability of 12 cm. Through sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors, the robot autonomously identifies its location inside the workplace and supplies items via the optimal route by avoiding workers and obstacles.
Hyundai Mobis has also secured a control system that can integrate and manage multiple autonomous logistics robots simultaneously within a single workplace. The core element of the control system is to prevent collisions or deadlocks between robots. Hyundai Mobis independently developed and applied an algorithm that predicts the flow of multiple robots and controls them in real time.
Hyundai Mobis is developing a robotics system that can also be used outdoors. This system will apply RoboWheel technology, which enables safe movement in outdoor environments such as slopes or irregular surfaces. The RoboWheel will implement various driving motions such as ‘zero turn,’ which rotates 360 degrees in place, and ‘crab driving,’ which moves sideways, by applying posture control algorithms.
Seunghwan Lee, Head of the Advanced Research Sector at Hyundai Mobis, said, “We are incorporating various ideas to develop safe and precise robot technology,” and added, “We will develop diverse robotics solutions where humans and robots can coexist and expand them into new business models.”
Hyundai Mobis plans to develop various robot platforms based on the element technologies of the mobile collaborative robots and autonomous logistics robots currently under development. Focusing on areas such as human-robot interaction (HRI), robot actuation, and robot control, it plans to provide robotics solutions in various fields including smart factories, logistics hubs, offices, and homes.
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