Partnership to cover joint product development, surface-treatment automation

HD Hyundai Robotics, the robot solutions arm of HD Hyundai Group, has acquired a stake in a robot sensor company as it moves to strengthen its competitiveness in the physical AI business.

HD Hyundai Robotics disclosed Friday that it had acquired a 13 billion won ($9.72 million) stake in Aidin Robotics. Aidin Robotics is a robotics company that develops robot sensor technology, designing and producing its own capacitive-type force and tactile sensors.

Robot sensors are a core physical AI component that let robots precisely perceive and interact with the physical environment. Force and tactile data determine the precision and quality of a robot's work.

Following the investment, the two companies plan to jointly develop a five-fingered robotic hand specialized for the shipbuilding and heavy industry sectors for use in HD Hyundai Robotics' humanoid robots. They will also continue cooperating on surface-treatment automation, in which robots take over tasks such as polishing and grinding that have traditionally been performed by workers.

The two companies plan to jointly develop surface-treatment automation solutions, first applying them at shipbuilding and heavy industry sites. They will then expand into the broader domestic manufacturing sector and eventually into global manufacturing markets.

An Aidin Robotics official said, "Through this collaboration, we plan to jointly develop next-generation robot solutions that can be used at actual industrial sites, and expand the application of our technology and business opportunities across various industries at home and abroad."

An HD Hyundai Robotics official said, "We will continue to expand strategic partnerships with promising technology companies, contributing to strengthening the global competitiveness of the domestic robotics industry while actively working to secure a lead in future markets."


klee@heraldcorp.com