[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] Oh Jun-ho, head of the Future Robotics Promotion Team at SamsungElectronics(005930), will attend “CES,” the world’s largest information technology (IT) and consumer electronics trade show, next January. As Samsung prepares to unveil its own humanoid robot, attention is focused on the CES visit by this key development figure.

According to the IT industry on the 5th, Director Oh is scheduled to attend “CES 2027,” which will be held in Las Vegas, U.S., from January 6 to 9 (local time) next year.

Oh is a robotics engineer who led the development of “Hubo,” Korea’s first bipedal humanoid robot, in 2004. A professor emeritus at KAIST and a founding member of Rainbow Robotics, he assumed the role of advisor to SamsungElectronics and head of the Future Robotics Promotion Team last year.

In January of last year, shortly after joining SamsungElectronics, he visited CES and toured the SamsungElectronics exhibition hall and other areas. In an on-site interview at the time, he explained that it was his first visit to CES and that he planned to explore the home appliance and robotics sectors.

This time, all eyes are on whether he will personally showcase Samsung’s robot development achievements. SamsungElectronics is reportedly planning to unveil its own humanoid prototype at CES 2027.

SamsungElectronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee also recently visited the development site in person. On the 27th of last month—marking the fourth anniversary of his appointment—Chairman Lee visited the RX Business Promotion Office at the Seoul R&D Campus in Umyeon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

There, he received a briefing on the status of robot development and commercialization from CEO Roh Tae-moon, who also heads the DEVICE Experience (DX) Division, and Director Oh, among others. He reportedly also observed a technology demonstration showing how a robotic hand can handle objects with precision.

It is understood that this inspection served as a key factor in determining whether to unveil the robot at CES. Reports indicate that Chairman Lee’s reaction to the demonstration was positive, further increasing the likelihood that Samsung will unveil its humanoid robot.

Precise hand movements are a core technology required to deploy humanoids in actual work environments. To grasp tools used by Saramins or assemble small parts, the robot must identify the shape and position of objects and even adjust the force applied by its fingers.

Samsung has also continued to make investments and reorganize its structure to support robot development. After making its first investment in Rainbow Robotics in 2023, the company increased its stake to 35% last year and made it a subsidiary. The plan is to combine Samsung’s AI and software capabilities with Rainbow’s robotics technology.

In July of this year, the company established the RX Business Promotion Office, which reports directly to CEO Noh. This move consolidated robotics research personnel—who had previously been scattered across various organizations, including the Future Robotics Promotion Team—and established a system to bridge the gap from technology development to commercialization.

Samsung’s primary target is the manufacturing sector. The strategy involves deploying robots in its own factories to verify their performance and reliability, and using data gathered from actual operations to enhance the robots’ capabilities. The company plans to subsequently expand their applications to the home and service sectors.

At a press conference during this year’s CES, CEO Noh stated, “Robotics is a key growth engine for the future,” adding, “Rainbow Robotics and SamsungElectronics’ DX Division are currently collaborating to simultaneously advance various projects, ranging from foundational technologies to the Physical AI Engine integrated into robots.”