[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] LG Innotek is teaming up with NVIDIA to develop sensing solutions for the “eyes” and “hands” of humanoid robots. The company aims to tap into the physical artificial intelligence (AI) market by extending the optical and multi-sensor technologies it has developed in the smartphone and autonomous driving sectors to the robotics field.

LG Innotek announced on the 22nd that it unveiled a 3-megapixel camera module incorporating NVIDIA’s HoloScan Sensor Bridge (HSB) technology and a multimodal vision system (MVS) at “GTC Berlin,” held in Berlin, Germany, on the 20th (local time).

GTC is a developer and business conference where NVIDIA showcases its latest technologies, including graphics processing units (GPUs), AI, and autonomous driving. Global technology companies such as Microsoft and Amazon, which utilize the NVIDIA platform, participate in the event.

HSB is a technology that transmits data collected by various sensors, such as cameras, directly to an AI computer without passing through a central processing unit (CPU). Since this shortens the data transmission process, it enables autonomous vehicles and robots to quickly recognize and assess their surroundings.

LG Innotek plans to use this collaboration as an opportunity to expand its engagement with global physical AI companies that use the NVIDIA platform. The company also aims to explore opportunities to supply products incorporating HSB, based on multi-sensor technology that utilizes not only cameras but also LiDAR and radar.

The two companies will expand their collaboration to include vision sensing for humanoid robots and robotic hands. They plan to jointly develop sensing solutions compatible with NVIDIA’s next-generation platform and unveil them at next year’s CES and GTC.

LG Innotek has recently been expanding its mobile-centric business structure into the physical AI sector, including autonomous driving and robotics. Last year, it formed a strategic partnership with the U.S. LiDAR company Aeva, and this year, it has begun jointly developing autonomous driving solutions with companies such as the autonomous driving software firm Applied Intuition and Kakao Mobility.

In the robotics sector, the company is developing robot components with Boston Dynamics and has begun mass-producing camera modules for North American robotics firms. The plan is to bundle technologies acquired through existing businesses—such as sensing and communication modules and semiconductor substrates—to provide integrated solutions to clients.

Moon Hyuk-soo, President of LG Innotek, stated, “This collaboration is an opportunity to expand LG Innotek’s multi-sensor solutions into the global market,” adding, “We will quickly secure a leading position in the market as a total Physical AI solutions provider encompassing sensing and communication modules as well as semiconductor substrates.”