LG Electronics, Naver Team Up for Robot Technology

Naver Corp., South Korea’s top portal operator, showcases AMBIDEX, a robot arm that interacts with humans, during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 9, 2019. (Yonhap)

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean home appliance maker LG Electronics Inc. and portal operator Naver Corp. said Wednesday they will partner to develop an advanced guide robot.

The two Korean companies agreed to apply Naver’s integrated location and mobility solution eXtended Definition & Dimension Map (xDM) in LG’s guide robot called Air Star to upgrade its function.

The two companies reached the agreement during the Consumer Electronics Show that runs through Friday in Las Vegas, officials noted.

“The xDM platform is an advanced mobility technology that can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings and accurately analyzes location data real-time,” Roh Jin-seo, the head of the robotics business at LG Electronics, said. “The two companies will continue to collaborate to develop the robotics technology.”

Naver debuted its artificial intelligence and other robotic technologies during this year’s world’s largest electronics show.

Naver Labs Corp., a R&D subsidiary of Naver, has integrated AI, mobility, robotics and other technologies for the development of so-called Ambient Intelligence with an aim of improving people’s lives.

The Ambient Intelligence-based products to be demonstrated include AMBIDEX, a robotic arm that uses a cable-driven mechanism to make interactions with humans safer.

Other robotic technology include Around G, an autonomous guide robot that provides guidance in large indoor spaces, such as shopping malls and airports.

LG Electronics vice president Cho Sung-jin said it would take at least two years to generate profits from its robot business, one of its future growth drivers.

Cho said his company will develop its robot business in five areas — home, commercial, industrial, wearables and fun.

“It is premature to make predictions for the fledgling business, but it will take at least two years to reach the breakeven point in general,” Cho said during a press conference.

Among its robots with commercial use, the company’s lawn mower robot is expected to reach the market in the near future, Cho said, without elaborating on the exact schedule or price.

(Yonhap)