K-Humanoids Accelerate Factory Deployment... 'Money-Making Robots' to Debut at CES

K-Robots Enter Proof-of-Concept Stage in Factories
Deployment Begins in Manufacturing and Logistics Sites
First-Ever Korean Robotics Pavilion at CES, Spanning 56 Pyeong

Domestic humanoid robot companies will unveil a large number of production models and, for the first time, demonstrate collaborative operations performing repetitive tasks in production processes at CES 2025, the world's largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, to be held in Las Vegas in January next year. Industry experts believe this will serve as a catalyst for the practical deployment of humanoids in manufacturing sites.

According to the industry on December 12, the 'Humanoid MAX Alliance,' a collaboration between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the robotics sector, will, for the first time, set up a 'Humanoid Joint Pavilion (K-HEROID)' at this year's CES. The exhibition space will comprise 20 booths. Ten companies-including Arobot, humanoid platform developers, artificial intelligence (AI) firms, and component manufacturers-will directly participate to showcase Korea's humanoid ecosystem.

The highlight of this exhibition is to demonstrate that domestically produced humanoid robots have entered the proof-of-concept (POC) stage. Arobot will present a demonstration in which its robots, Alice4 and AliceM1, divide production tasks and perform continuous operations. For example, one robot will take an item off a factory conveyor belt and place it on another shelf, after which another robot will move that item to a different location, continuously simulating real-world factory operations. Another participating company, Robros, will exhibit its robot, IGRIS-C, showcasing its ability to walk and interact with visitors.

Korean companies have already begun verifying productivity through on-site deployments. Arobot is preparing to supply its humanoid robot Alice for deployment at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries production sites. The company is currently conducting proof-of-concept procedures at two Amorepacific cosmetics factories, two POSCO E&C construction sites, and two Samsung Heavy Industries shipyards.

Rainbow Robotics has deployed humanoid robots at Samsung Display to perform lens replacement in laser equipment, and at CJ Logistics factories to handle picking, sorting, inspection, and packaging. Robros is assisting with assembly and transport processes at LG Electronics appliance factories, while Holiday Robotics is conducting demonstrations for inspection and transport of petrochemical products at SK Energy plants.

Han Jae-kwon, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Arobot, stated, "Now, K-robots are generating revenue. We are not just putting on a show; we aim to demonstrate that they are directly entering industrial sites and creating added value." A representative from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy added, "Although Korea is currently aiming for third place in the robotics sector, we will show that there are areas where we can excel."

Component manufacturers such as Aidin Robotics (robot hands), Tesolo (robot hands), Faraday Dynamics (servo motors), and SBB Tech (harmonic reducers) will also showcase their products. A representative from SBB Tech commented, "We want to inform people that Korean companies are also producing core components for humanoid robots domestically. We have already moved beyond the development stage and begun mass production."

The United States and China are already leading the commercialization of humanoid robots. Agility Robotics' Digit was deployed at a logistics center in Atlanta, Georgia, in June last year, becoming the world's first humanoid to perform actual factory work. Tesla is piloting its Optimus robot at its Austin plant and aims to transition to mass production starting next year. Figure AI is currently testing its Figure 02 robot at a BMW factory. In China, UBTECH has secured contracts for about 500 units of its Walker S robot, supplying them to manufacturing and logistics sites at BYD, Audi, Foxconn, and other companies.