LG Innotek has joined forces with Nvidia to develop advanced sensing solutions for physical artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Under the partnership, LG Innotek will provide the robotic “eyes,” while Nvidia will supply technology that enables AI to rapidly process the information those eyes collect. The collaboration is drawing industry attention as a potential building block for next-generation physical AI.
LG Innotek said on the 22nd that it unveiled a lineup of sensing solutions incorporating Nvidia’s latest Holoscan Sensor Bridge (HSB) technology at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC), held in Berlin, Germany, on the 20th. The lineup includes a 3-megapixel (MP) camera module and a Multi-modal Vision System (MVS).
The 3MP camera module serves as a robot’s “eyes,” while the MVS functions as a “visual system” that helps robots perceive their surroundings. A megapixel is a unit of image resolution, with 1MP representing 1 million pixels. A 3MP camera can capture images with approximately 3 million pixels. MVS technology combines different types of visual and sensor data to recognize and analyze surrounding environments and objects.
HSB, introduced at the event, is Nvidia’s proprietary technology for transmitting data collected by sensors such as cameras to AI systems in real time. With this technology, information gathered by sensors can be sent directly to an AI computer without passing through a central processing unit (CPU). In effect, it creates a high-speed data channel connecting sensors to AI computers. Because this enables physical AI systems, including autonomous vehicles and robots, to process information and make decisions more quickly, the industry regards HSB as a key technology that could help shape the future physical AI ecosystem.
“This partnership is an excellent opportunity to expand the global reach of LG Innotek’s differentiated integrated sensing solutions,” said Moon Hyuk-soo, CEO of LG Innotek. “As a total solutions provider for physical AI, spanning sensing, communication modules and semiconductor substrates, we will move quickly to establish a leading position in the physical AI solutions market.”
An LG Innotek representative said, “This collaboration once again demonstrates our world-class optical design capabilities, built through accumulated experience in mobile devices, autonomous driving and robotics, as well as our integrated sensing expertise spanning cameras, lidar and radar. Through this partnership, we expect to expand our engagement with global physical AI companies that use Nvidia’s platforms and create more opportunities to supply cameras and sensing solutions incorporating HSB technology.”
The two companies plan to expand their collaboration on HSB-based physical AI sensing solutions, including vision sensing for humanoid robots and robotic hands. In particular, they intend to develop sensing solutions compatible with Nvidia’s next-generation platforms and continue working closely together, with plans to showcase the products at CES, the world’s largest consumer technology trade show, or GTC next year.
GTC is a global developer and business strategy conference hosted annually by Nvidia, focusing on the latest trends in GPUs, AI, autonomous driving and other technologies. Major global technology companies that rely on Nvidia’s core platforms, including Microsoft and Amazon, participate in the event.
Meanwhile, LG Innotek is actively pursuing future growth businesses by leveraging scalable core technologies in sensing, substrates and control systems developed through collaboration with major global technology companies. The company is accelerating its efforts in physical AI applications, particularly autonomous driving and robotics, to secure new growth drivers.
In autonomous driving, LG Innotek formed a strategic partnership last year with U.S.-based Aeva, a leading lidar technology company. This year, it began collaborating on joint autonomous driving solutions with U.S. autonomous driving software company Applied Intuition and Kakao Mobility, South Korea’s largest mobility platform company.
In robotics, LG Innotek is moving quickly to establish a foothold in the market, including developing robotic components with Boston Dynamics and beginning mass production of camera modules for robotics customers in North America.
