WHATs LAB Proposes 14 Billion Won Project for Robot Hand Data Validation

A demonstration project aimed at making the 'hands' of AI robots smarter has been proposed. WHATs LAB announced its 'K-Robot Hand Manipulation Data, Standardization Demonstration Project' to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) at the 'Policy Proposal Conference' on May 19. The proposal centers on establishing rules for the data required for robots to grasp and handle objects and conducting trials in actual industrial settings. Its main objective is to create data standards that enable robots, specifically 5-fingered robot hands, to learn and manipulate objects more effectively, and then apply and verify these standards in real-world industrial environments.

Sim Dong-hyun, CEO of WHATs LAB, pointed out that 'teleoperation' (remote instruction), a common data collection method in the current robotics market, faces limitations in accumulating data effectively at actual manufacturing sites. In response, he proposed 'Human Trajectory' as an alternative method, which naturally collects hand movement data while workers perform their tasks as usual. WHATs LAB collects hand movement data during work using its proprietary data glove, 'Air Glove Atlas,' emphasizing that this approach can reduce costs by up to 77.4% compared to existing data collection methods.

The proposed demonstration project is planned to run for three years across 100 manufacturing sites, with an investment of approximately 14 billion won over that period. The project aims to reduce direct collection costs by 14.76 billion won, achieve an ROI of 1.05x, and propose KS/ISO standards. CEO Sim Dong-hyun highlighted that despite South Korea having a high industrial robot density of 1,220 units per 10,000 manufacturing workers, there is a lack of high-quality data and standards necessary for robot learning. He stated that now is the most opportune time for policy intervention, as technology verification is just beginning and market standards have not yet solidified. He expressed a hope that this policy proposal would enable Korea to advance as a global leader in 'dark factories' and the everyday use of robots. The 'Policy Proposal Conference' serves as a platform to translate startups' innovative technologies into concrete government policies.