AI NewsWaveKIST's Lee Jong-won Wins Science and Technology Award for Domestic Humanoid
Key points
- KIST's Lee Jong-won selected for November science and technology award
- Developed a Korean AI humanoid that walks while carrying 20 kg
- Core components localized, with energy efficiency more than doubled
The Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea selected Lee Jong-won, head of the Humanoid Research Division at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), who developed a Korean AI humanoid robot platform, as a recipient of the Korea Science and Technology Award for November. AI Newspaper (인공지능신문), Digital Today and Chosun Biz reported this on the 4th.
AI Newspaper (인공지능신문) introduced it as a robot that can carry objects of more than 20 kg while keeping its balance and moving. The explanation is that its key feature is that core elements, from actuators to joints, sensors and control technology, were built with domestic technology and energy efficiency was raised more than twofold. Chosun Biz described it as a domestic humanoid that can walk while carrying objects of more than 20 kg, and Digital Today named the robot "K-Pex" (케이펙스) in its headline.
An article on industry trends also appeared. In a Robo World feature, Robot Newspaper noted that as humanoids expand their field of activity from laboratories and exhibition halls to industrial sites such as manufacturing and logistics, the focus of competition is shifting from appearance and motion to task performance, stable operation and production cost.
Recent developments AI Times reported on the 4th that the Ministry of Science and ICT opened the "AI Humanoid Data Factory" with the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI). It is Korea's first facility dedicated to producing data for bipedal humanoids. In its headline, Robot Newspaper said that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 2027 robot budget will put 147.7 billion won into three major robot projects, pursuing the rollout of 200 humanoids and localization of core components.
Terms explained: A humanoid is a robot built with a human-like body structure to walk and use its arms. An actuator is a component that produces the force that moves a robot's joints.