Automaker Hyundai Motor Group has launched a pilot project to deploy a robot to inspect safety at its factory, in a first collaboration with the US-based robotics group Boston Dynamics.
Hyundai said that the factory safety service robot based on Boston Dynamic’s four-legged robot ‘Spot’, went into pilot operation at its subsidiary Kia Corp.‘s plant in Gwangmyeong, southwest of Seoul.
It is the first project launched between the two companies after the automotive group in June completed the $880 million acquisition from Japanese conglomerate Softbank.
Click here to see the YouTube video on ‘Spot’
Hyundai said the robot is capable of automatically navigating the factory with the help of its artificial intelligence processing unit, teleoperation technologies and other sensors.
In the video clip, the robotic dog climbs up and down stairs to navigate the empty Kia factory after dark and checks whether equipment is hot or if doors are open. Hyundai Motor said they will collect data from the pilot project. This will allow them to optimize the robot’s performance and apply it in various industrial sites, keeping their factories safe.
The automotive group has been working with the Boston-based robotics firm to develop industrial robots, and support smart factory and smart mobility solutions.
