Tag: robots

The next time someone checks into a Lotte Hotel they could be getting their key card from a robot:

Lotte Hotels & Resorts has joined a government-backed effort to develop humanoid robots tailored for hotel operations, marking the first time a Korean hotel group has participated in a national program focused on next-generation service robotics.

The company said it was selected as the lead operator in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources’ “core robot technology development” project and will take part in the so-called K-Humanoid Alliance, a consortium of government agencies, universities and technology firms working on advanced humanoid platforms.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

I guess we will see if robotics becomes another defense industry product that the ROK can reliably produce:

The state arms procurement agency said Monday it has test-deployed a multi-legged robot designed for counter-terrorism operations as part of a push to introduce advanced technologies to the military.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) launched the project in August 2022 to develop a robot that can check for threats inside buildings in a terror situation before troops are deployed.

The Army received the robot last Wednesday to conduct the six-month trial run to determine whether it is suitable for operations. The Army Special Warfare Command and a front-line Army division will assess its performance and capabilities.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It will be interesting to see if more schools in South Korea turn towards AI robots instead of hiring foreign English teachers:

Seoul Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon speaks during a press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Education Office of Education in central Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Robots powered by artificial intelligence will aid English education in five elementary and middle schools in Seoul starting in March 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday.

The English tutoring robots will aid students in brushing up their English language knowledge, conversation skills and pronunciation. For students struggling academically, the robots will provide a customized education service, enabling them to learn the language at their own pace.

The education office also said it would provide schools with a chatbot app, which allows users to practice conversations via mobile phones. The app enables students to engage in conversations and discussions with the robot based on a topic selected by the user.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

This is something that people can expect to see more of in Korea as the technology continues to improve:

Dilly, a self-driving delivery robot developed by food delivery service Baemin’s operator Woowa Brothers, crosses a road while en route to deliver food on Teheran-ro in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District, which has been specially designated for robot delivery, Nov. 7. Courtesy of Woowa Brothers

Robots are gradually becoming part of daily life in Korea, as the country’s recent amendment to the act governing the use of robots has allowed outdoor autonomous robots to drive on sidewalks for delivery, patrols and other purposes.

This change has opened new avenues for related industries, as various advantages are expected for companies utilizing robots such as labor cost reduction, increased efficiency in last-mile delivery and improvement in safety, industry officials and experts said Thursday.

On Nov. 17, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the National Police Agency implemented the revised Act on Development and Supply of Intelligent Robots. Previously, robots were not permitted to operate on sidewalks, but the revised law allows for new businesses to utilize robot delivery and patrols in outdoor environments.

These outdoor self-driving robots are required to comply with the Road Traffic Act, just like pedestrians. Jaywalking or walking on roadways is illegal, and operators of these robots who violate the regulations will be fined 30,000 won ($23). Additionally, businesses seeking to use outdoor autonomous driving robots are obliged to have insurance coverage.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.