Rainbow Robotics Largest Shareholder Samsung Electronics
Directly Under CEO, New 'Future Robot Promotion Team' Established
LG Electronics Excels in Delivery and Logistics Service Robots
Samsung Electronics is accelerating its acquisition of core humanoid robot technologies by incorporating domestic robot specialist Rainbow Robotics as a subsidiary. While LG Electronics is achieving results in the commercial robot market, Samsung Electronics is focusing on securing core technologies and developing future robots, taking a long-term view of the robot market.
On the 31st, Samsung Electronics announced that it exercised a call option (the right to purchase shares at a predetermined price) to acquire a 20.29% stake in KOSDAQ-listed Rainbow Robotics for approximately 267.4 billion KRW. With this, Samsung Electronics increased its stake in Rainbow Robotics from 14.71% to 35%, becoming the largest shareholder. Rainbow Robotics is expected to be incorporated as a subsidiary in Samsung Electronics' consolidated financial statements. Rainbow Robotics is a robot specialist company established in 2011 by the KAIST Hubo Lab research team, which developed Korea's first bipedal walking robot 'Hubo.'
Samsung Electronics also established the 'Future Robot Promotion Team' directly under the CEO. The Future Robot Promotion Team will focus on developing future robot technologies, including humanoids. Humanoid robots have human-like appearances and movements and can walk or communicate with people through AI technology. The plan is to secure core competitiveness in future robot technologies that will change paradigms and make them a key growth engine. The head of the team is Professor Oh Junho, an honorary professor at KAIST and a founding member and former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Rainbow Robotics. Professor Oh also serves as an advisor to Samsung Electronics.
Professor Emeritus Oh Junho of KAIST, who developed the humanoid robot HUBO, and head of Samsung Electronics' Future Robot Promotion Team.
◆Samsung Electronics Secures Core Technologies Integrating Hardware and Software＝ As the largest shareholder of Rainbow Robotics, Samsung Electronics plans to focus in the short term on applying robot technologies that can be practically utilized, such as manufacturing processes and logistics automation. They are exploring integration with Samsung's process automation systems by utilizing Rainbow Robotics' collaborative robots, dual-arm robots, and autonomous mobile robots.
In the long term, the goal is to secure core future robot technologies. Without limiting to specific commercialization fields, Samsung is pursuing the development of future robots such as humanoids integrated with AI from a long-term perspective. Various application possibilities, including care services and education, are being kept open. The Robot Center within Samsung Research (SR) under Samsung Electronics focuses on software-centric technology development, while the Future Robot Promotion Team aims to secure core technologies encompassing both hardware and software by leveraging Rainbow Robotics' technologies.
Rainbow Robotics has already supplied its robots to various sectors, including defense companies such as Hyundai Rotem and LIG Nex1, as well as Google, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). It has also collaborated with the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, proving its robot technology capabilities across diverse fields. Through this experience, Rainbow Robotics can contribute to the next-generation development of Samsung Electronics' AI companion robot 'Bolly' and walking assistance robot 'Botfit.'
An industry insider said, "In addition to currently implemented robots, it is expected that Samsung Electronics will support large-scale funding and research necessary for developing future robots and humanoid robots in cooperation with Rainbow Robotics."
◆LG Electronics Accelerates Realization of '2030 Future Vision' with Commercial Robots＝ LG Electronics is standing out in the commercial robot sector. It has selected commercial robots as one of its future businesses to achieve the '2030 Future Vision.' LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo stated in his New Year's address, "We must make AI and robots convenient to use in daily life so that precious time can be spent on enjoyable and meaningful activities."
Starting with the Incheon International Airport guide robot in 2017, LG Electronics has successfully established commercial robots in the market under the 'LG CLOi' brand, including cleaning robots, serving robots, and wearable robots. The LG CLOi ServeBot uses autonomous driving technology to deliver items in hotels and hospitals, capable of carrying up to 30 kg of goods. At the CES 2024 press conference held in the U.S. in January, LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan said, "The commercial robot business mainly focuses on service areas such as delivery and logistics."
In June, LG also unveiled the LG CLOi robot equipped with Google's next-generation AI large language model (LLM) 'Gemini.' These commercial robots maximize connectivity with existing home appliances and have received high market evaluations. LG Electronics has also established its own commercial robot production facility at LG Future Park in Gumi, Gyeongbuk.
LG Electronics is also actively expanding its global market presence. This year, it invested 60 million USD in Bear Robotics, a U.S.-based AI-driven autonomous service robot startup, securing the largest single shareholder stake. Through this, LG is pursuing a strategy to lead global robot platform standardization. In January, LG signed a 28 billion KRW contract to supply guide and delivery robots with SmartScore, a golf service platform, expanding its robot service activities into the Southeast Asian market. This was the largest single overseas supply revenue.
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