[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD(011330)is expanding its robotics, tactile electronic skin, and training data businesses by appointing the founder of U.S. flexible electronics company Lumia Technologies and a robotics research expert from Stanford University to its board of directors.

UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD announced that at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting held on the 27th, resolutions were passed to appoint Madison Maxey, founder of Lumia, as an inside director, and Monroe Kennedy III, a Stanford University professor and director of the Assistive Robotics and Manipulation (ARM) Lab, as an outside director.

These director appointments are a follow-up to the previously announced agreement to acquire 100% of Lumia’s shares. UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD plans to strengthen its capabilities in pursuing new business ventures by combining experience in commercializing flexible electronics technology with research expertise in the field of robotic tactile learning.

Newly appointed Director Maxi is an entrepreneur who has developed technologies for applying electronic circuits and sensors to textiles and flexible materials. He founded Lumia to commercialize flexible electronic circuits and has experience developing electronic textile prototypes and conducting technical workshops for clients such as Google, Adidas, and Corning. He was also named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.

Lumia’s Flexible Electronic Circuit Layer (LEL) technology integrates thin, flexible circuits with various materials, such as textiles, to enable functions like pressure sensing, heat generation, and signal transmission. It can be applied to robotic hands and exoskeletons, as well as automotive seats and interior components. Lumia also has experience developing pressure-sensing sensors for robotic hands manufactured by Festo, a German industrial automation company.

Newly appointed Director Kennedy is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, where he conducts research on tactile sensing, precise object manipulation by robots, and human-robot collaboration. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania and received the CAREER Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

In particular, he has conducted research on utilizing information collected by tactile sensors for robotic object manipulation and learning. Based on Director Kennedy’s research experience, UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD plans to solidify its technology development and commercialization strategies for its robotic tactile sensor and training data business.

The new robotics business being pursued by UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD is structured to integrate tactile electronic skin with training data. Sensors are applied to robotic hands and exteriors to detect contact and pressure, while smart gloves worn by humans collect data on pressure and force control generated during actual work processes. The vision is to utilize this data to help robots learn how to grasp objects or perform precise tasks.

Lumia recently completed the design of the core sensors for its smart gloves used in robot training and has begun evaluating the data. After verifying sensor performance and data reliability, the company plans to pursue implementation in logistics settings and expand supply opportunities to global humanoid and robot development companies.

The organizational structure for driving this business has been divided by region. UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD’s headquarters oversees the strategy for the robot tactile and learning data business and is responsible for the smart seat business, leveraging its existing capabilities in automotive interior manufacturing. Lumia’s headquarters, located in Brooklyn, New York, is in charge of technology development and managing global client relations.

The Lumia Korea branch is led by Kim Han-ju, UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD’s Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and co-CEO of Lumia, and plans to drive commercialization in the Asian market—with a focus on Korea, China, and Japan—by identifying clients and negotiating product applications.

With this board restructuring, UNI CHEM.CO.,LTD intends to establish a business framework that spans the entire process—from the development of flexible sensor technology to mass production and the acquisition and supply of haptic data.