Mgen Solution, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based robotics technology company, announced that its subsidiary Hyundai Infracore's "AI Autonomous Firefighting Robot" has entered the final stage of development.
On April 21, Mgen Solution stated that it will unveil a prototype of the AI autonomous firefighting robot for the first time at a domestic firefighting expo scheduled for the end of May. Full-scale product development is expected to be completed in July after final testing and refinement, after which the company plans to actively pursue commercialization and application across various industrial sites.
The firefighting robot to be introduced by Mgen Solution is equipped with an automated system capable of unmanned monitoring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can respond to fires within 30 seconds of detection. It features AI-based fire detection as well as suppression capabilities that allow it to immediately deploy water and fire extinguishing agents on site, making it a next-generation technology that is expected to overcome the limitations of existing firefighting systems.
In particular, the robot is equipped with fully autonomous driving capabilities, enabling it to independently recognize and traverse various obstacles such as ramps, bumps, and speed bumps. This allows it to move freely and perform its tasks even in complex industrial environments or large facilities. Additionally, it is designed with an AI-based prediction and decision-making system, enabling it to autonomously perform not only firefighting but also security and patrol functions.
Alongside the firefighting robot, Mgen Solution is accelerating the development of various next-generation firefighting devices, including a multi-drone-based wildfire disaster response system. Through these efforts, the company is building an integrated firefighting solution that covers the entire process from fire detection to initial response, real-time monitoring, and spread prevention, while continuously expanding its product portfolio.
Mgen Solution anticipates that demand for smart firefighting systems will further increase in light of recent large-scale fire incidents at wildfires, logistics centers, and parking lots. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the global robotics market is projected to reach approximately $160 billion (about 235 trillion KRW) by 2030.
Furthermore, the government's confirmation of a large-scale supplementary budget aimed at advancing equipment, infrastructure, and technology for disaster and accident prevention is expected to further boost the growth of related industries. The government plans to invest a total of 1.7 trillion KRW to strengthen disaster prevention and response capabilities, including: ▲68 billion KRW for the advancement of rapid wildfire detection and early suppression systems using advanced equipment such as AI surveillance cameras and high-performance drones; ▲232 billion KRW for the expansion of 48 multipurpose wildfire suppression vehicles and installation of emergency extinguishing devices in 1,199 forest-adjacent villages nationwide; ▲117 billion KRW for the advancement of AI and robotics-based wildfire response technologies, including deep learning-based wildfire spread prediction and enhanced nighttime monitoring using swarm drones.
A representative from Mgen Solution stated, "With the recent series of large-scale fires such as wildfires and logistics centers, interest in and demand for unmanned firefighting systems are rapidly increasing," adding, "We expect firefighting robots to become practical solutions in a wide range of industrial settings."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
