- South Korean institute joins advanced robotics consortium spanning 9 countries and 15 institutions

- Soft gripper and vision AI technologies to be applied in smart farms, manufacturing and care settings

KIST researchers Song Ga-hye (left) and Ryu Gang-hyeon, who will participate in the Horizon Europe advanced robotics international joint research project. [KIST]
KIST researchers Song Ga-hye (left) and Ryu Gang-hyeon, who will participate in the Horizon Europe advanced robotics international joint research project. [KIST]

South Korean researchers are joining a major European advanced robotics project backed by more than 10 million euros ($11.2 million). The team plans to develop technology that allows robots to grasp objects as gently as a human hand, as well as AI capable of perceiving surrounding environments, and will validate both in European industrial settings.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology announced Tuesday that researchers Song Ga-hye and Ryu Gang-hyeon of its Intelligent Interaction Research Center will participate in an international joint robotics research project under Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research and innovation program.

The project is led by Tampere University in Finland and brings together 15 universities, research institutes and companies from nine countries, including South Korea, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Denmark, Germany and Portugal. Total research funding exceeds 10 million euros, and KIST is the only non-European participant.

KIST's role goes beyond standard collaborative participation — the institute will lead development of the core technologies corresponding to a robot's hands and eyes. It will receive funding directly from the EU and conduct research over three and a half years.

At the heart of the research is the integration of a "soft gripper" — which uses flexible materials and adaptive structures to grasp objects — with "vision AI" that analyzes camera footage to recognize the surrounding environment.

Conventional industrial robots excel at handling objects of a fixed shape at predetermined positions in repetitive tasks. They have struggled, however, when objects vary in size and shape or when the working environment changes frequently.

To address these limitations, the research team will develop technology that enables robots to independently assess the shape and condition of an object and adjust their grip style and force accordingly.

In smart farms, for example, the system could harvest soft fruit without causing damage. On manufacturing floors, it could distinguish and precisely pick up components of different shapes. In care settings, it could be deployed in robots that assist people with daily activities.

KIST plans to integrate the soft gripper and vision AI into a single system and verify its performance in real working environments. The institute also intends to expand the technology's scope to maintenance work in hard-to-reach conditions, such as underwater or high-temperature, high-pressure environments.

The project also carries broader significance as an example of a South Korean research institution entering Europe's advanced research and development network following Korea's accession as an associate member of Horizon Europe.

Through the collaboration, KIST aims to build a foundation for technology cooperation with European research institutions and companies, and will explore possibilities for technology transfer and commercialization. The institute plans to link the work with mission-oriented research in manufacturing, care and agriculture to expand the reach of domestic robot technology.

"The consistent technical exchanges and trust we have built with European research institutions and companies over the years have led to our participation in this large-scale international joint research project," Song said. "We will verify KIST's soft gripper and vision AI technologies in real-world environments alongside European researchers, and work to establish a foundation for sustained global research cooperation that extends into follow-on joint projects."


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com