Samsung Merges Robotics Team, Considers HX Division for Humanoids

JAKARTA - Samsung Electronics plans to unite its robot research and commercialization teams, which have been spread out. This step is prepared to accelerate the development of AI-based humanoid robots, especially for factory needs.

Korea JoongAng Daily reported on Friday, July 17, citing industry sources, that Samsung is preparing a special organization that combines the Future Robotics Office, Samsung Research's robotics unit, and Global Technology Research. All three are under the Device eXperience Division or DX.

The new organization can be upgraded to a business division after having its own production line and starting to generate profits.

One of the names being considered is HX, short for Humanoid Experience. Samsung is also expected to appoint a new leader to replace Oh Joon-ho, who currently heads the Future Robotics Office.

"Demand for robots is expected to grow significantly, not only in factories, but also in homes, restaurants, hospitals, and long-term care facilities," Samsung Electronics Chief Executive Lee Jae-yong said on June 29.

To support this move, Samsung is strengthening its recruitment of experts. The company is opening a large-scale internal vacancy for employees of the DX Division, including three positions in the field of robotics.

Korea JoongAng Daily also said Samsung has recruited a number of senior executives from global technology companies. Before the merger of teams and the restructuring of the leadership, the company's management reviewed its entire robotics organization.

Industry observers estimate that Samsung-made robots could start being used in the company's production lines as early as the second half of this year.

"We are prioritizing the robotics business to automate manufacturing facilities," said DX Division Head Roh Tae-moon in January.

According to Roh, the technology developed for factory needs will be gradually expanded from the B2B or business-to-business market to the consumer market.

On the technology side, Samsung is reportedly making progress in the development of robotic hands. Through Samsung Research, the company is developing technology that is capable of assembling and inserting objects of easily changing shape, such as electrical cables.

Precisely controlling and inserting cables is considered one of the most difficult tasks in manufacturing robotics because their shape keeps changing as they are moved.

The technology is being further refined to be used in factories. Samsung is also working on developing its own key components tailored to the needs of its robots.

"We are pursuing a two-track strategy through internal development and partnerships with competitive companies," Samsung said in its first-quarter earnings conference.

The company is also open to investments, mergers, and acquisitions to expand its robotics ecosystem.

KB Securities analyst Kim Dong-won assessed Samsung's semiconductor facilities as an important capital for the development of humanoid.

According to Kim, the facility can generate behavioral data from real manufacturing activities to train robots. The value of the production environment that can be utilized is estimated at 50 trillion to 100 trillion won, or about 33.7 billion to 67.5 billion US dollars.

Access to production data on a large scale is considered to help Samsung implement humanoid robots in the industrial environment faster.