Hyundai Motor Group is achieving results not only in automobiles but also in the robotics field. The group, which operates a 'Robotics Lab' specializing in robotics technology, has recently developed wearable robots, delivery robots, and electric vehicle automatic charging robots.
Hyundai Motor Group unveiled the wearable robot 'X-ble Shoulder' last November, which can be utilized in various industrial sectors, including automobile manufacturing processes. 'X-ble' is a compound word composed of 'eXoskeleton', which means exoskeleton, and 'able', signifying the ability to make anything a reality.
As manufacturing factories evolve into smart factories, the automobile production process has also become largely automated. However, there are still many tasks that require human hands. A typical example is the process of assembling lower components while lifting the body with a lift. Workers responsible for this process repeat the same motion up to about 5,000 times a day.
The average age of manufacturing workers in South Korea has increased by 3.8 years compared to a decade ago due to the country entering a super-aged society. The number of individuals suffering from musculoskeletal disorders is also rapidly increasing due to physical structural characteristics and the rising average age of workers.
The X-ble Shoulder utilizes motion sensors to measure the actual movements of the worker and quantifies the load on muscles and joints during work through human interpretation model analysis. Using the X-ble Shoulder can reduce shoulder joint load by up to 60 percent.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to first supply the X-ble Shoulder to the production sectors of Hyundai Motor and Kia, with plans to distribute it to 27 affiliates in the future. Additionally, they aim to expand sales to other companies in various fields such as construction, shipbuilding, aviation, and agriculture, and to enter overseas markets such as Europe and North America.
Hyundai Motor Group also unveiled the delivery robot 'DAL-e Delivery' last June. The DAL-e Delivery service offers drinks at the robot-friendly building, Factory S ở Seongsu-dong, Seoul.
When customers order drinks through a mobile app, DAL-e Delivery retrieves beverages like coffee from a cafe located on the basement level and delivers them to the customer's office or meeting room.
The DAL-e Delivery communicates with the building's control systems, such as elevators and entrance doors, moving freely between each floor while generating optimal routes through real-time analysis of communicated information, allowing for quick deliveries. During this process, people nearby can track the status of the robot via the display installed on it.
Upon arriving at the delivery destination, the robot recognizes the recipient using facial recognition technology and cameras, delivering the beverage. Once the recipient is confirmed, the robot extends a retrieval tray to assist the recipient in easily taking out the item.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to increase the number of DAL-e Delivery units and expand the service range to include package and postal deliveries.
The automatic charging robot developed by Robotics Lab (Automatic Charging Robot·ACR) is also gaining attention.
The ACR operates in conjunction with parking robots after customers use and return shared vehicles. When the parking robot moves the vehicle to the charging area, the ACR recognizes the license plate and checks the vehicle's charge.
If charging is needed, the ACR opens the vehicle's charging port and connects the charger via wireless communication. After charging is complete, the ACR also removes the charger autonomously, meaning drivers do not need to be involved in parking or charging after returning the vehicle.