KIST Transfers Humanoid Robot KAPEX to LG; Over 90% of Core Components Are Domestically Produced

It can walk on two legs and maintain balance even while carrying a load of over 20 kilograms. It can gently hold a paper cup, yet firmly grasp heavy boxes. Sensors at the fingertips can detect whether an object is sliding, thereby adjusting the gripping force automatically. It is KAPEX—an artificial intelligence humanoid robot developed by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). Its muscles, joints, sensory organs, and the AI controlling its movements are all manufactured using domestic technologies, with the localization rate of core components exceeding 90%.

The Korean Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea announced on November 4 that Lee Jong-won, head of the Humanoid Robot Research Group at the KIST Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Institute, was selected as the recipient of the Korea Science and Technology Award for that month. Lee Jong-won was awarded for developing the next-generation Korean AI humanoid platform KAPEX and promoting the localization and commercialization of its core components.

“In the past, humanoid robots mainly focused on precisely executing pre-set human actions, performing on stages prepared for them,” Li said. “With the progress of AI, robots can now observe with their eyes, understand language, and decide for themselves how to move.” He pointed out that humanoid robots, which were once used only for demonstration, are transforming into work robots capable of replacing humans to complete real tasks.

The uniqueness of KAPEX lies in the fact that the technologies corresponding to human muscles, bones, joints, sensory organs, and the brain are all internally developed and integrated into a single robot. The actuators serving as muscles are small enough to fit into the size of human joints, yet they can produce a torque of up to 300 N·m, which is sufficient to hang a 30 kg bag of rice at the end of a one-meter-long rod. The bones and joints are modeled based on human anatomy, enabling the robot to move smoothly and diversely like a human. The five fingers possess higher degrees of freedom, with each segment capable of independent movement; fingertip sensors can perceive the sensation of touch and the force of pressure, thereby automatically adjusting the gripping force based on the characteristics of the object.

AI serves as the brain, controlling the robot's movements. It observes the surrounding environment through cameras, utilizes fingertip perception to sense the state of objects, understands human language, and then decides the movement patterns of the body and hands. In particular, the robot learns to walk by repeatedly performing countless walking exercises in a virtual environment and adopts technology to predict the body's movement in the next instant to maintain balance. With these technologies, KAPEX can maintain stable walking while carrying objects weighing over 20 kg, and the overall energy efficiency of its actuators, joints, and control technologies is more than twice that of previous systems.

More than 90% of the core components of KAPEX, including actuators, joints, and sensors, are domestically produced. This means that the key components determining the performance of humanoid robots are developed by domestic technology, rather than being imported. This move reduces dependence on overseas supplies and lays the foundation for domestic enterprises to improve robot performance and achieve independent product development. The localization of core components is crucial because they determine robot performance and price competitiveness; over-reliance on foreign supplies leads to supply instability and limits technological progress and product R&D. Li pointed out, “If core components are procured from abroad, one must depend on the prices, delivery times, and even performance improvements of foreign companies. True technological independence means we design and integrate components ourselves, while simultaneously developing and advancing AI and training data on our own.”

Research results are moving toward commercialization through cooperation with domestic enterprises. KIST transferred the core technology of KAPEX to LG Electronics in September last year. Since then, a cooperation structure has been formed: LG Electronics is responsible for the robot platform, LG AI Research is responsible for physical AI, LG Energy Solution provides all-solid-state batteries, and Robostar is responsible for mass production. Small and medium-sized enterprises, including WIRobotics, as well as universities and institutions such as Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, are also involved. The plan is to create a humanoid robot industrial ecosystem by combining the core technology of the research institute with the manufacturing and mass production capabilities of domestic enterprises.

The research team established a living laboratory within the institute, setting up real home scenes such as a kitchen and living room, and is researching technologies to let humanoid robots use kitchen utensils or collaborate with other robots to complete housework. In the future, on-site testing will be expanded to real environments such as hospitals and public facilities.

However, before humanoid robots are truly deployed in industrial sites, they still face many challenges. Completing specific actions in a one-time demonstration and working continuously for several hours or even days in an unfamiliar environment are two completely different things. It is necessary to further improve AI's judgment capabilities in long-term autonomous work, as well as aspects such as fine hand movements, battery performance, durability, and safety.

Li said, “True commercialization is not a demonstration site, but an actual workplace, where robots complete work for several months without anyone operating or monitoring them.” He looks forward to seeing humanoid robots in the next five to ten years carrying heavy objects in hospitals, preparing meals for the elderly, or performing heavy manual labor in dangerous factories.

#Robot# #AI# #Artificial Intelligence# #Fund# #Camera# #LG Energy# #LG# #Commercial#Return to the previous page for more information