LG Electronics is breaking new ground in South Korea by establishing the nation’s first Robot Data Factory to enhance the intelligence of humanoid robots. This move marks a significant step for LG, which has declared 2023 as the year to fully launch its robotics business, accelerating its efforts to dominate the emerging Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) market.
Industry sources revealed on Friday that LG is developing a 355,000-square-foot (approximately 33,000 square meters) Robot Data Factory at its research and development campus in Yangjae, Seoul.
This cutting-edge facility will serve as a testing ground for humanoid robots, allowing them to perform various tasks in environments that mimic real-life settings. The robots will engage in activities such as grasping and moving objects, and opening and closing doors. The behavioral data collected during these operations is considered invaluable for improving humanoid robot performance. LG Electronics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ryu Jae-cheol is reportedly making weekly visits to oversee the factory’s construction progress.
Speculation is rife that LG might launch the data factory as early as July, deploying 100 units of its in-development humanoid robot, LG CLOiD. There are also plans to increase the number of robots to 300 by year-end.
LG first unveiled CLOiD at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and is working towards commercializing home-use humanoid robots by 2028. Industry experts view this data factory as a crucial infrastructure for future home robot development.
The Robot Data Factory is being compared to data centers in the era of generative AI. As the humanoid robotics sector intensifies its competition for data acquisition, the extensive behavioral data gathered in real-world environments is becoming increasingly critical in determining robot intelligence levels.
LG is also venturing into the commercialization of actuators, a key component in robotics. Actuators, which integrate motors, reducers, and control devices, are essential for controlling robot movements and precision.
By simultaneously pursuing robot data acquisition and in-house development of core components, LG is rapidly transforming from an appliance-focused company into a future-oriented robotics platform enterprise. The Yangjae Data Factory is expected to play a pivotal role in developing both residential and commercial robot services.
However, an LG spokesperson stated that the investment amount and specific operational timeline have not yet been finalized.