[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] The Korea Institute of Robot Convergence (KIRO) and SamsungHeavyIndustries(010140)are embarking on a joint development project for autonomous work robots, industrial humanoids, and artificial intelligence (AI) robot solutions to be applied in shipbuilding sites.

The Korea Institute of Robot Convergence (KIRO) announced on the 17th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SamsungHeavyIndustries on the 16th at the company’s Geoje Shipyard to jointly develop and demonstrate future shipbuilding and robotics technologies.

The two organizations plan to develop technologies that combine the shipbuilding and marine industries with robotics to enhance productivity and workplace safety, and to validate these technologies in actual shipyards.

Key research areas include autonomous industrial robots tailored for shipbuilding sites, industrial manufacturing humanoids, and AI robot solutions. In addition to joint technology development, the two organizations will promote the exchange of research personnel, the shared use of research facilities and equipment, policy consultation, and the establishment of a cooperative network.

The signing ceremony was attended by Choi Doo-jin, Head of the RX Center at SamsungHeavyIndustries, and Seo Gap-ho, Vice President of the Korea Institute of Robot Convergence, among others. Following the signing, both sides toured the medium-assembly plant, blasting plant, and metal-forming plant at SamsungHeavyIndustries’ Geoje Shipyard to inspect production sites where robotics technology could be applied.

The two institutions have already been collaborating in the field of shipbuilding robots. Since 2015, they have jointly developed and deployed in actual production settings mobile welding robots capable of working inside enclosed structures, as well as autonomous welding robots based on weld recognition technology.

Through this collaboration, they plan to expand the scope of their joint research beyond existing welding automation to include humanoid robots and AI-based autonomous operation technologies.

Kang Ki-won, President of the Korea Institute of Robot Convergence, stated, “By closely integrating SamsungHeavyIndustries’ shipbuilding expertise with the Institute’s robot R&D capabilities, we will expand the development and demonstration of robot technologies that can be practically applied to the shipbuilding industry.” He added, “Through the convergence of the shipbuilding and marine industries with the robotics industry, we will contribute to strengthening the technological competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding industry.”