Log
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2024. 07. 05
"Charging Now" campaign, ACR is in full swing!
Last April, Robotics Lab recruited participants for a mobility campaign called “Charging Now” to provide customers with a free movement, convenient and safe electric vehicle charging experience. The “Charging Now” campaign selected 100 teams and offered round-trip tickets to Jeju Island, accommodation expenses, IONIQ 5 rental cars and charging expenses. This campaign increased convenience in using electric vehicles through the Automatic Charging Robot (ACR). ACR is an arm-shaped robot that charges the electric vehicle when the driver parks the EV in the charging station and presses “Start charging” in the mobile phone app. The most interesting point is that ACR minimized the driver’s intervention in the charging process. The number of people selected for the "Charging Now" campaign has started a 3 days trip per team from June 14 (Fri) and will run until July 31 (Wed). You can check out the reviews of the participants through the link below. Review ▶ Robotics LAB | Charging Now -
2024. 03. 08
Come meet Robotics Lab’s celeb DAL-e at Uiwang Time Villas!
Robotics Lab's cutest robot, DAL-e is supporting the IONIQ Playground from March 8th (Fri) to 10th (Sun) at Uiwang Time Villas! DAL-e is a representative service robot of Robotics Lab combined with artificial intelligence technology (AI tech) which enables smooth communication with customers. It also expresses emotions through various facial expressions and gestures.If you say "Hello DAL-e~," DAL-e will recognize and answer the customer's questions so if you have anything to ask, call DAL-e!However, if you call him from too far away, your voice may not be recognized. So we recommend you to call him at a reasonable distance. :) In addition, if you ask you can take a selfie with DAL-e. So why don't you take a picture together at EV Everycare Block, the photo zone of IONIQ Playground?If you want to take a picture with your family, friends, or lovers, you can also ask DAL-e to take a picture of you! Why don't you go and meet Robotics Lab's celeb DAL-e at the Uiwang Time Villas IONIQ Playground this weekend?Also, take a test drive of Hyundai Motor Company’s The New IONIQ 5, which was selected as the ‘Best Family Car’, and participate in various events and win prizes! -
2024. 02. 16
The upcoming 19th Korea Robotics Conference, Robotics Lab is participating!
The 19th Korea Robotics Conference (KRoC 2024), organized by the Korea Robotics Society, will be held at Phoenix Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do from February 21st to 24th. Robotics Lab will visit Pyeongchang again for the first time in two years since participating in the 17th Korea Robotics Comprehensive Conference, and it will be a more meaningful event since all the Robotics Lab teams are planning to participate. The Korea Robotics Conference is the nation's largest conference in the field of robots. The Conference contains various programs to share the latest research to promote industry-academic cooperation which helps the interactions between robotics researchers.Interesting events such as keynote lectures, lectures by invitations, workshops, poster sessions, Robot Engineering & Design (RED) shows, and tutorials are scheduled. This year's theme is "Robotics empowered by AI," which means that the recent rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be an accelerator for further development of robot technology. Robotics Lab is leading the diverse robotics industry under the Hyundai Motor Group’s philosophy of ‘Progress for Humanity’ and creating new value through services to enrich human life. We are planning to run a booth at this Korea Robotics Conference. If you are interested in ‘Building a robot intelligent society’ with Robotics Lab, please visit our booth for consultation and receive Robotics Lab's goods! Then, we will be looking forward to meeting you at Pyeongchang Phoenix next Wednesday (21st). We ask for your interest and support. Thank you. * Please note that Robotics Lab’s booth will be open from February 21th (Wed) to 23th (Fri), for 3 days in total. -
2023. 12. 15
Robotics LAB Concludes Rolling Hills Demonstration of DAL-e Delivery
Hyundai Motors' Robotics LAB has been developing “DAL-e Delivery,” an indoor/outdoor delivery robot, along with its related services. Starting on November 16th, 2022, we initiated a demonstration of unmanned delivery service at the Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. This December marks the successful completion of a one-year unmanned delivery service by DAL-e Delivery. Let's delve into its journey.
For those unfamiliar, DAL-e Delivery is an indoor/outdoor delivery robot developed in-house at our Robotics LAB based on a proprietary PnD module and operates through an integrated control system specifically optimized for it.
At first glance, it might seem like a hotelier delivering items to guest rooms, but the process includes customer orders, order reception, robot dispatching, loading delivery items, autonomous driving, elevator boarding, and receiving items, among other detailed steps. To address these processes without issues a combination of autonomous driving hardware and control/service systems is essential. Hyundai Motors' Robotics LAB has developed smooth and stable autonomous driving and avoidance technology through an appropriate PnD drive unit, while also creating customer-friendly ordering, control, and dispatch systems.
From December 2022, we conducted a one-year PoC (Proof of Concept) at the Rolling Hills Hotel in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Previously, hoteliers had to personally deliver room service during late-night hours, a round trip taking about 20-25 minutes, but this was replaced by DAL-e Delivery. Shall we take a look at what happened during this process?
1) DAL-e Delivery Catches the Attention of a Customer’s Child
During our continued operation, we received an urgent call from the restaurant on a day when we didn't operate DAL-e Delivery due to stabilization work on its linked system: “A customer wants to use the DAL-e Delivery service.” Just as we were asking for understanding about not operating today due to maintenance...
“The customer's child has always been interested in robots and visited Rolling Hills today to use DAL-e Delivery... The child desperately waited until evening because operation hours are late at night but now they found out there will be no operation... They really want to use it... What should we do? They came with us and are so disappointed...”
We postponed scheduled tasks momentarily thinking that we couldn't let down expectations from customers who needed DAL-e Delivery service, and all the developers, operators, and hoteliers rushed together to start up the system and begin services.
Would it be okay if we operate while undergoing stabilization work? Despite concerns like these, we successfully completed the delivery as usual. The sight of the happy child felt like a reward for all the trials and errors we went through in developing the robots and systems for this delivery service.
2) Becoming the Parents of DAL-e Delivery
Shortly after starting operations in December 2022, we visited Rolling Hills for operational checks. As the hoteliers were the primary users of the delivery robot, we sought their feedback on any usage inconveniences.
Upon entering the restaurant and meeting the hoteliers, one of them said, "Oh, you're DAL-e's parents!" They playfully added, "Here we have DAL-e's mom and dad, and among us hoteliers, there are also uncles and aunts for DAL-e." That made me think that DAL-e must have more than ten parents. After all, its body is made by the hardware team and its soul is given by the software team. This amusing memory still remains with me.
We've witnessed how eagerly customers sought DAL-e and how DAL-e Delivery seamlessly integrated into the ecosystem of Rolling Hills.
The year-long PoC brought significant meaning to our Robotics LAB. It allowed us to verify the effectiveness of PnD mobility functions as well as delivery and logistics solutions. This confirmed future possibilities in the food delivery sector. Through real-world operations and customers' reactions, we were able to develop better services.
We look forward to your continued interest and expectation to meet DAL-e Delivery equipped with better delivery robots and integrated solutions at more diverse sites -
2023. 11. 10
MobED Showcases Its Limitless Potential, Now as Camera Equipment
In November 2023, MobED made an appearance at the ABU General Assembly, a gathering of broadcasting officials from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss current media industry issues. MobED, a versatile robot adaptable to various purposes based on its top module, was employed at the Assembly to vividly capture the event, equipped with a camera atop it. Incorporating DnL technology developed in-house at our Robotics LAB, MobED demonstrated minimal shakiness even on uneven surfaces and the ability to maneuver through confined spaces and over obstacles. These capabilities allowed MobED to maintain a horizontal position throughout the venue, ensuring precise and stable filming even in areas beyond human reach. The pairing of camera equipment with MobED was not a first-time occurrence. Previously in March 2023, MobED played a notable role in the live broadcast of WBC. Unlike conventional filming equipment where cameras are attached to RC cars resulting in shaky footage even over minor bumps within shooting studios, MobED's driving performance demonstrated potential applicability within broadcasting fields by maintaining horizontal balance while climbing slopes, flexible filming via body height adjustments, rapid shot transitions through spot rotation, etc. With eccentric wheels on each 4 sides, MobED's potential is boundless. Depending on the module attached, it can function as a logistics robot, a camera for dynamic chase scenes, a safe and comfortable stroller for transporting babies, or a health trainer guiding exercise methods via a large display, among various other applications. Additionally, MobED's design allows for an increase in size, enabling its use as a mobility device that people can ride in. With stable driving and dynamic movement, MobED promises to bring a new dimension of driving pleasure. In this instance, we introduced how MobED was utilized as filming equipment. Looking ahead, anticipate a wide range of applications stemming from MobED's vast expandability. -
2023. 07. 14
Where can you meet DAL-e?
Where can you find Robotics LAB's service robot, DAL-e? Introduced in January 2021 by Robotics LAB, service robot DAL-e is actively serving customers at Hyundai Motor's showroom on Songpa-daero, employing advanced technologies such as facial recognition, natural language interaction, and autonomous navigation to assist in various customer-facing areas. Following an initial trial run at the Songpa branch and subsequent 18 months of stabilization and enhancement efforts, we expanded operations with DAL-e to Kia's Gangseo flagship store in July 2022 and since March this year have been operational at Kia's Incheon flagship store. DAL-e engages with customers looking to purchase vehicles; it provides explanations about cars on behalf of staff members. When visitors express interest in a particular vehicle, DAL-e leads them to it and delivers detailed information including vehicle features and comparisons with other models—answers to questions that prospective buyers often seek out. Additionally, DAL-e boasts a touch screen display on its forehead for navigational aid and can link up with dealership media walls to present video content related to the vehicles. DAL-e not only serves visitors but also includes functionalities for staff operation. Through facial recognition linked with stored employee information within DAL-e’s system, staff members can access an administrator mode where they can monitor or adjust operation settings. Its operational and charging statuses also can be monitored through the control system developed by Robotics LAB. The control system can be accessed through PCs, tablets, or smartphones for administrators' ease of use. Employing Robotics LAB’s PnD technology which allows omni-directional movement, DAL-e features sophisticated autonomous driving algorithms capable of predicting obstacle trajectories for evasion—thus smoothly navigating while providing service under various scenarios encountered during customer interactions. Additionally, DAL-e autonomously monitors its battery level, moving to a charging station for self-charging when necessary. Customers visiting the dealership have also shown a very positive response to DAL-e. Although sales masters at the dealerships are friendly, customers found it easier to ask DAL-e questions about vehicles they were curious about. They were able to effortlessly obtain information and enjoy a new experience at the dealership using the various entertainment features installed on DAL-e, as confirmed by customer feedback. Stay tuned for further advancements and developments from DAL-e as we continue innovating into the future.