Hyundai Rotem has obtained two government-supported research and development initiatives focused on enhancing unmanned robot technologies driven by physical artificial intelligence (AI), as it aims to improve future battlefield capabilities.
The organization announced that it has been chosen to head two national programs.
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The first project, commissioned by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, aims to create a unified control system for various robot types that can be managed through natural-language commands.
The second project, ordered by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), focuses on creating a tangible AI-driven simulator and a modular robotic system.
The project directed by the industry ministry seeks to develop software that enables operators to manage various unmanned robots using verbal or written commands. Currently, unmanned systems are typically operated individually through remote controls or by manually entering commands. The updated system is intended to allow a small number of operators to oversee multiple platforms simultaneously.
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Hyundai Rotem intends to implement the technology in its HR-Sherpa unmanned ground vehicle and four-legged walking robots. The organization ultimately seeks to develop a command-and-control system capable of managing numerous robots in synchronized swarm formations.
The project supported by the government aims to accelerate the commercialization of AI-driven technologies, emphasizing a greater focus on practical applicability and technological advancement.
The project directed by ADD aims to create a digital twin simulator and a modular robot platform that can evaluate performance in virtual settings tailored to mimic actual operational conditions.
Digital twin technology generates virtual duplicates of equipment and settings to evaluate performance and safety prior to actual implementation. The simulator enables multiple tests on various terrains and mission scenarios, aiding in decreasing development time and enhancing reliability.
The modular robot system will feature four-legged robots equipped with removable wheels. It can additionally be equipped with specialized mission gear, such as robotic arms and tools for detecting explosives.
It will additionally implement edge AI, enabling robots to independently decide based on field data even in the absence of a central server connection.
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Hyundai Rotem announced plans to enhance its unmanned defense technologies in accordance with the physical AI strategy of Hyundai Motor Group. Earlier this month, it also entered into a memorandum of understanding with Anduril Industries to collaborate on upcoming unmanned systems and battlefield technologies.