[Serving Robot CEO]④ Ordering Coffee from Apartment Bench, Robot Delivers It

Autonomous Driving Robot Company Robotis
Presses Button with Robotic Arm and Rides Elevator
Coffee Delivery Within Apartment Complex

Robotis' serving robot 'Ilgaemi' delivered coffee to residents of the complex at Godeok Central I-Park in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

The headquarters of ROBOTIS, located in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. A robot standing 120cm tall is in front of the elevator where employees board. This is the indoor autonomous delivery robot 'Jipgaemi' developed by the company. After placing an item inside Jipgaemi and entering the floor and department, it started moving. It pressed the elevator buttons with its robotic arm, boarded the elevator, scanned its employee ID at the security door, and passed through smoothly. After completing the delivery from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, Jipgaemi leisurely returned to the 1st floor.

ROBOTIS is a company specializing in autonomous driving robots, founded in 1999 by CEO Kim Byung-soo. Initially engaged in robot drive systems such as actuators and cycloidal reducers, the company expanded its business to autonomous driving robots starting in 2018. LG Electronics, which invested 9 billion KRW in 2018, is currently the second largest shareholder. CEO Kim, whom we met at the headquarters, said, "Robots were a dream for engineering students during my university days," adding, "I started the company with the dream of liberating human labor by thinking about how robots could be usefully applied in daily life."

ROBOTIS's representative robots are 'Jipgaemi' and 'Ilgaemi.' Jipgaemi mainly operates indoors, while Ilgaemi is primarily active outdoors. Jipgaemi is equipped with a robotic arm with a camera. It is a device that enables floor-to-floor movement via elevators in major workplaces such as hotels, resorts, and high-rise buildings. Ilgaemi is smaller, standing 92cm tall. Designed to avoid tipping over while mainly delivering food outdoors, it detects the surrounding environment and obstacles using deep learning artificial intelligence (AI). CEO Kim said, "Ants are hardworking and highly social animals," and added, "We named our robots after ants to symbolize diligent work, cooperation, and helping people."

Robotics' serving robot 'Ilgaemi' is delivering coffee at Godeok Central I-Park in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

On the 25th of last month, ROBOTIS supplied Ilgaemi to Godeok Central I-Park in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. This apartment complex operates an on-site cafe for residents. When residents order drinks via an application or kiosk, Ilgaemi delivers them to the tea house within the complex. The company plans to expand the service by linking with nearby complexes, marts, convenience stores, and other local businesses. CEO Kim said, "All Ilgaemi robots operating in the complex can be monitored and controlled through the company's integrated control system." He explained, "Most deliveries are completed smoothly on their own, but if any issues arise, immediate response is possible."

Kim Byung-su, CEO of Robotis.

ROBOTIS also entered the Japanese market on the 2nd of last month. The company supplied Jipgaemi to 'The Rise Osaka Kitashinchi' hotel in Japan. The robot serves welcome drinks to customers in the hotel lobby and performs hotel guidance roles. They are also preparing hotel delivery services that require floor-to-floor movement, such as delivering various convenience items and room service. CEO Kim said, "We are currently coordinating the timing of robot adoption with several hotel officials in Japan," adding, "We are seeking business opportunities in Japan, the United States, China, and other countries."

ROBOTIS recorded sales of 25.9 billion KRW and an operating loss of 2.2 billion KRW last year. After receiving the first regulatory sandbox exemption for outdoor autonomous driving robots in 2019, the company increased research and development (R&D) investment, resulting in a return to losses, but sales are on an upward trend. The proportion of autonomous driving robots in total sales is about 10%, so the scale is still small. ROBOTIS plans to invest more in robots and increase this proportion to 50% within a few years. CEO Kim said, "The robot business is essentially in the testing phase, accumulating various data and advancing technology," and added, "Our goal this year is to provide 1,000 of our robots to clients."