Hyundai Motor Company and Kia are taking the lead in the future robotics market through collaboration with the top robotics research institutions in Korea.
On the 23rd, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia announced the establishment of a 'Robotics Joint Laboratory' together with Seoul National University, POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). This laboratory aims to strengthen the technological competitiveness of mobile dual-arm robots and to build a robotics research ecosystem.
At the signing ceremony held the previous day at the Seoul National University Faculty Club, Yang Heewon, Head of R&D at Hyundai Motor Company and Kia (President), Kim Young-oh, Dean of the College of Engineering at Seoul National University, Kim Jong-gyu, Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation at POSTECH, and Kim Ik-jae, Director of the AI and Robotics Research Institute at KIST, attended.
The four institutions will operate the Robotics Joint Laboratory for the next three years in collaboration with Hyundai NGB, a specialized industry-academic cooperation organization. They agreed to internalize the technology of mobile dual-arm robots to enhance competitiveness and to establish a cooperative system among industry, academia, and research institutions in robotics to create a high-quality robotics research ecosystem.
(Photo from left) Jongkyu Kim, Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation Group at POSTECH, Youngoh Kim, Dean of College of Engineering at Seoul National University, Heewon Yang, President of R&D Headquarters at Hyundai Motor Company and Kia, Ikjae Kim, Director of AI and Robotics Research Institute at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology are posing for a commemorative photo at the joint laboratory establishment agreement ceremony held on the 22nd. Photo by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia
The Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Robotics Lab will be responsible for the robot hardware sector within the joint laboratory. The Robotics Lab plans to strengthen technology so that the developing robotic hands can respond to more complex shapes, focusing on improving the autonomous mobility and task performance capabilities of mobile dual-arm robots.
Seoul National University will secure robot perception technology for manipulating transparent objects such as glass and will advance software to enable the robot to grasp unregistered objects. Additionally, based on ultra-wide-angle cameras, they will enhance the robot's spatial perception to improve navigation capabilities and research control technology for cooperative operation of the robot’s dual arms.
POSTECH will conduct comprehensive research on human-robot interaction, including developing remote haptic devices necessary for humans to remotely control robots. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology will contribute to securing recognition technology for manipulating various objects, including irregularly shaped ones, and will conduct research on algorithms that predict and control robot movements to enable efficient robot operation.
A Hyundai Motor Company and Kia official stated, "In the future service robotics market, 'mobile dual-arm robot' technology that interacts with the environment will play a key role," adding, "As the top robotics research institutions in Korea collaborate, we will strive to advance the technology and create diverse service robotics markets."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
