HD Hyundai Robotics Invests KRW 13 Billion in AIDIN Robotics to Strengthen Competitiveness in Physical AI and Humanoid Robotics
2026-09-15 05:33:27
Securing robotic sensing and control technologies to enhance humanoid robot development capabilities
Joint development of five-finger robotic hands specialized for shipbuilding and heavy industries, with collaboration to expand into manufacturing automation solutions
HD Hyundai Robotics has made a strategic investment in AIDIN Robotics, a startup specializing in robotic sensing technologies, to strengthen its technological competitiveness in physical AI and humanoid robotics.
HD Hyundai Robotics announced that it acquired an equity stake in AIDIN Robotics through a KRW 13 billion investment on September 11.
AIDIN Robotics develops robotic force/torque sensors and tactile sensors based on technologies that precisely detect force and touch. In particular, the company has developed sensing technologies for applications such as the hands and feet of humanoid robots, enabling robots to detect contact with objects and the distribution of applied forces while supporting precise movement and stable control.
Through the investment, HD Hyundai Robotics plans to secure AIDIN Robotics' sensing and control technologies and accelerate the development of physical AI-based robots by integrating them with its own robotic platforms.
As an initial area of collaboration, the two companies will jointly develop a five-finger robotic hand specialized for shipbuilding and heavy industrial applications. By combining precision sensing technologies with a human-like robotic hand capable of grasping a wide range of workpieces, the companies aim to enable robots to perform complex tasks required in shipbuilding and heavy industrial environments.
The jointly developed robotic hand will also be applied to humanoid robots being developed by HD Hyundai Robotics. Through this integration, the companies will advance physical AI-based humanoid technologies that enable robots to recognize surrounding environments and the condition of workpieces and perform appropriate actions accordingly.
The two companies will also expand their collaboration into manufacturing automation. They plan to jointly develop automation solutions that can replace manual surface-treatment processes such as polishing and grinding with robotic operations, followed by field demonstrations and commercialization, initially targeting shipbuilding and heavy industrial sites.
The companies plan to expand the application of these solutions from shipbuilding and heavy industrial sites to the broader domestic manufacturing sector, and eventually extend their business into overseas manufacturing sites, including U.S. shipyards.
Through this strategic investment, HD Hyundai Robotics aims to combine sensing technologies that provide robots with a sense of their surroundings and physical interactions with its existing robotic platforms and control technologies, accelerating efforts to strengthen its competitiveness in physical AI-based robotics.
An HD Hyundai Robotics representative said, "Through our collaboration with AIDIN Robotics, we will strengthen our sensing and control capabilities and accelerate the development of physical AI-based humanoid technologies. We will continue to expand strategic partnerships with promising technology companies, enhance our robotics capabilities and lead the future robotics market."