SEOUL, KOREA - The Incheon IT Promotion Agency (IITPA) is working to link the robot industry with the service industry. Their hope is that "IITPA is actively moving forward to link the three core robot business projects with the service industry.This will allows for the cohesion of robot-related research centers with core robot companies," said Cho Sung-kap, president of the agency.
The three core robot businesses are the development of intelligent robots, support for robot technology projects, and development of commercialized robots to create high value addition."In this regard, IITPA is making a strong push to instigate a project that stimulates the creative economy in conjunction with supporting the intelligent robot service industry. This initiative is being led by the current government under President Park Geun-hye," said Cho.
He said that the present robot technology development project provides a model for the creative economy, which supports balanced development of the regional economy. This is done by linking technology development with various businesses and pursuing the commercialization of robot products, subsequently generating new brands and value addition.
"We can generate immense synergistic effects if we utilize the strong points of the metropolitan area and Daegu City alongside North Gyeongsang Province, the so-called "Daegyeong" area. This must be done through mutual supplementation and beneficial cooperation in terms of joint investment, joint studies, and global market exploration. I think that if this project is successful, it will be a prime example of countrywide cooperation," said Cho.
Noting that the domain of the robot industry reaches into almost every field, including medical service, tourism, heavy and chemical industry, national defense, and development of ocean resources, the president said, "Robots are the most suitable projects available for new convergence industries using machinery engineering, oil hydraulics, petrochemical products, communications, and software engineering.
"In particular, the robot industry currently offers enough value a potential future industry for children and researchers who are actively imaginative and logical," he said."In order to lead the world's robot industry, accordingly, the robot world exhibition and performance should be held as an event marking the opening of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, alongside the Children Robot Camp and the Korea Robot Game Festival," he stressed.
Robot industry is a future growth engine to generate an era of $40,000 in national income
Commenting that the robot industry is a future-oriented core growth engine to initiate an era of $40,000 in national income per capita, Cho said, "The country should remain focused on promoting the core technology of intelligent robots, which are expected to witness explosive growth in the future, and link it with the service industry in order to stimulate demand creation and the exploration of high value added markets."
Explaining that the robot industry is a complex of advanced technologies and has enormous ripple effects on other industries, the president said, "Through convergence with other industries, the nation can secure various robot contents and the foundation technology that enables it to implement integration withthe service industry. In the future, the robot industry will see a dramatic development that will work in conjunction with the automobile, IT, and BT industries."
He forecast that the era of "one household and one robot" will come to fruition around 2020 and the volume of the domestic robot market will reach some 100 trillion won at the same time.
"Through the active linkage of robot infrastructure and R&D projects between metropolitan and regional areas, the IITPA plans to maximize the synergy effect of the robot service industry development and seek mutual supplementation of technology development. At the same time, the IITPA will push for balanced development of robot industries, regardless of the region," said the president.
He said that the metropolitan area possesses the core basic facilities of the high-tech manufacturing and knowledge service industries that will allow for the prevention of redundant investments from one area to the next. "As a result of active investment in infrastructure for advanced manufacturing and knowledge service industries, the core base of the industries concentrates on the metropolitan areas. In particular, Seoul, Incheon City and Gyeonggi Province are actively fostering robot, financing, R&D, digital contents and convention as new growth engines," he noted.
IITPA plans to create the robot cluster through convergence of machinery and manufacturing industries in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province and robot application SW core technology, robot companies, research centers and a robot theme park in Seoul.Meanwhile, Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province, the strategic location of the domestic IT industry, are taking an initiative in promoting the convergence of the robot industry with the IT industry.
Project to support intelligent robot service industry
The IITPA-led project to support the intelligent robot service industry is being initiated by 13 institutions and enterprises within four local governments in Incheon, Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Daegu. The project is comprised of one non-R&D project and two R&D projects.
IITPA, Seoul Business Agency, the Center for Digital Industry Promotion of Daegu, and Gyeonggi Techno Park have participated in the non-R&D project. This project has promoted the commercialization of intelligent robots, technology, and management consulting support for robot companies, patent and certificate assistance, and participation in robot exhibitions both at home and abroad.
"Through such active support networks, some 300 companies posted 3 billion won in sales and exported $900,000 worth of intelligent robots," he said.The two R&D projects are based around the development of robot service technologies for performance and entertainment. This includes robot platform development, the manufacturing of performance contents and integrated systems, and the development of element technologies for the commercialization of market-friendly intelligent robots that can be used as rides and modes of transportation in theme parks, airports, golf courses, logistics warehouses, and big hospitals.
Over the course of the three years the project has been in place, the IITPA and the four local governments have offered 92 cases of technology and management consulting services, 37 cases of supports for applications regarding patents of knowledge property rights at home and abroad, 45 cases of assistance for acquisition of standard certificates, 46 cases of supports for manufacture of test products and improvement of product function, and 103 cases of assistance for participation in domestic and overseas exhibitions and buyers' consultation meetings.
Noting that some 13,000 people have thus far participated in the robot performances and events that have tested the transportation intelligent robots, Cho said, "We aim to reach 17 billion won in sales and $6 million in exports by 2015 through the projects. "By utilizing active technology and marketing support for intelligent robot-related companies in the metropolitan and Daegyeong areas, we plan to strengthen the competitiveness of our national robot companies and reduce the technology gap according to regions," he explained. "I firmly believe that such projects will provide a significant contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic robot industry and accelerating balanced regional development. This will subsequently stimulate the regional economy," he added.
The Legend of Robot Land
Robots are now able to sing and dance on the stage like their human counterparts. Although this may have previously sounded like a science fiction movie, the tireless efforts by many contributors to develop robots designed for performances and entertainment have made this possible. Through the project, robots come to life, taking on the role of leading or supporting actors on the stage.
These new acting robots were created through the development of core technology and analysis that began in 2010. They are now being integrated with storytelling, resulting in the robot-themed performance The Legend of Robot Land. The robot-themed performance is the first of its kind in Korea, arousing lots of interest among theater-goers, both domestic and international.
The leading robots for the performance are able to make movements based on the platform developed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, which produced the android-based robot EveR, and the technology by Neurotech, a company which staged Robot Princess and Seven Dwarfs in 2008, where high-end robots of its own acted with the ability to make movements in a natural way.
The Incheon Institute of Intelligent Robots, Wintec (engineering company), and Inha University also played a crucial role in the development of such acting robots. They put their heads together to develop marionette-style robots that are “robot-controlled,” rather than human-controlled.
The Super Kibot is the most sought after robot appealing to kids. It was created through expertise offered by Isan Solution and support of IT Promotion Agency (ITPA).
With the help of the integrated technology Isan Solution has accumulated, those acting robots for The Legend of Robot Land are operated by an integrated controller system.
The project of developing robots designed for performances and entertainment is expected to have a significant influence on the robot industry and facilitate Korea’s advance into the overseas robot industry.
Staged from March 16, The Legend of Robot Land was presented until April 28 at Gwacheon National Science Museum. Lasting for 65 minutes, the performance has attracted 12,000 audience members.
Robot vehicles take your mobility to a new level
We are living in an era where robot vehicles are able to provide our primary method of transportation. Almost three years of efforts and sweat paid off when the robot vehicles were finally released
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As cultural centers, exhibitions, and such large-scale buildings as airports and hotels are increasingly springing up all across the nation, there is a growing demand for transportation methods which make it easier and faster to move things, whether humans or heavy objects, from one place to another
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That’s why Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) rolled up its sleeves to develop the fleet of intelligent robot vehicles that are able to recognize potential obstacles ahead and accurately avoid them by making quick computerized judgments.
There are three major technologies that have contributed to making these robot vehicles possible - sensor technology, autonomous driving technology, and driving technology. Only when these three technologies work in conjunction can robot vehicles recognize objects and movements in their path while in motion.
These energy-saving breakthroughs powered by electricity are designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Robot vehicles for “indoor” use are usually utilized at hospitals which can help patients who are unable to move around freely and airports or buildings where there are many humans and heavy baggage that require movement.
Meanwhile, robot vehicles for “outdoor” use are available at event venues, parks, and amusement parks. The rides are able to take the elderly and children to their destinations in a comfortable and safe way.
If it had not been for other contributors, this striking development could not have been possible. Among these important players include Yujin Robot, which has contributed its 25-years of expertise and technology. On top of Yujin Robot, other Korean engineering firms including C&T and NTREX have also donated their robot skills, such as robots controlled by smart phones and unmanned systems.
“As there have been a multitude of attempts to develop robots that are advanced enough to be used in daily lives throughout the world, Korea has continually ramped up efforts to develop high-end robots of its own,” said director Yang Kwang-woong of Fabric and Science Research Institute.
“These innovative robot vehicles developed under the project will become part of our daily lives, helping people travel around while requiring minimal effort,” he added.
