Naver Unveils World's First Robot OS Based on Web Platform... "Expanding the Robot Development Ecosystem" (Comprehensive)

Scheduled to be Unveiled at Saudi LEAP 2024
"AI Technology Will Also Be Applied to Robots"
Samsung Electronics Collaborates on Next-Generation Robot Platform

At 'LEAP 2024,' the largest international IT exhibition in the Middle East held in Saudi Arabia, Naver will unveil the world's first web platform-based robot operating system (OS).

According to Naver, Seok Sang-ok, CEO of Naver Labs, attending LEAP 2024, will reveal the world's first web platform-based robot-dedicated OS, 'ArcMind,' on the 5th (local time).

ArcMind is a robot-dedicated OS that combines Naver Cloud Whale's web platform technology with Naver Labs' robot software technology. Whale established its ecosystem by unveiling Whale OS in 2021. Based on the web, it features high productivity and compatibility, and development is underway to enable its use in various environments such as ArcMind, educational devices, kiosks, and automobiles.

Baek Jong-yoon, Chief Leader at Naver Labs, explained, "The web platform is a global standard that does not belong to any specific company or faction, so it offers excellent compatibility and productivity," adding, "It provides an environment where web developers can easily engage in robot service development, and the strategy is not to create a new ecosystem but to expand the existing one."

He continued, "I believe the direction of ArcMind lies in connectivity; by linking various applications based on the web platform, multiple robot services can emerge in the world," and "Various artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provided based on the web will also be applied to robots."

Based on the compatibility of Whale OS, Naver explains that ArcMind connects software from the web ecosystem to robot services and is optimized to directly control robot hardware of different models. Through app programs, autonomous driving services necessary for controlling the robot's location, movement, and decision-making can be operated via the web. The need for a web platform-based robot-dedicated OS arises because existing web platform-based OSs centered on PCs and smartphones found it difficult to reflect the characteristics of robots that freely move through space.

ArcMind is praised for its simple architecture, making it lighter and faster compared to existing robot OSs. New services and functions can be applied to robots through OS updates alone, and functions to control and monitor robot hardware and application software can also be utilized. Through monitoring, it is possible to initialize data of stolen robots or control the central processing unit (CPU) temperature and storage capacity within the server.

Along with unveiling ArcMind, Naver plans to promote the development of various robot services, with a particular focus on service robots. This is because it provides an environment where robot services can be developed within the web ecosystem without being dependent on a specific OS, allowing easy integration and expansion of robot services. By combining the latest applications such as reservation, ordering, payment, maps, and facial recognition as needed, existing delivery robots can be developed to perform new functions like facial recognition payment.

Chief Leader Baek Jong-yoon said, "Industrial robots are mostly made for specific purposes in closed environments, and the target Naver is aiming for is service robots," adding, "This is more a difference in approach or direction rather than a technological gap."

Naver plans to introduce ArcMind into currently operating robot services, stabilize it, and then expand the business through partnerships. Ultimately, the goal is to expand into a fully open ecosystem.

'Robot Edge Computing Platform' jointly developed by Naver and Samsung Electronics, and the robot 'Rookie' equipped with ArcMind.

At this exhibition, Naver will also newly reveal its ongoing collaboration on the next-generation robot platform with Samsung Electronics' System LSI division. This project aims to integrate Samsung Electronics' semiconductor solutions such as system-on-chip (SoC) and image sensors with Naver's OS and software solutions into a single robot platform. If successful, this project is expected to accelerate the popularization of robots.

A Samsung Electronics official stated, "It is significant to be able to enter the robot industry together with Naver," and added, "We plan to continue discussions with a roadmap starting from the robot ecosystem and expanding cooperation."

Naver will also explain its global technological competitiveness and smart city blueprint under the theme of 'Tech Convergence for Future Cities,' covering AI, robotics, autonomous driving, cloud, digital twin, and extended reality (XR).