Aidin Robotics separately said it has completed a KRW 16 billion strategic funding round backed by HD Hyundai Robotics and Samsung Venture Investment. HD Hyundai accounts for KRW 13 billion of that total.
The companies plan to combine Aidin’s force and tactile sensors with HD Hyundai Robotics’ robot platforms and jointly develop a five-finger robotic hand designed for shipbuilding and heavy-industry environments. HD Hyundai plans to use the hand on its humanoid robots.
Aidin develops capacitive force, torque and tactile sensors that allow robots to measure contact and applied pressure. The company designs and manufactures the sensors in-house and is building annual production capacity for approximately 30,000 force and torque sensors, according to its latest funding disclosure.
The collaboration will also cover automation for surface-treatment processes such as polishing and grinding, starting in shipbuilding and heavy industry. The companies plan to validate the systems at industrial sites in South Korea before targeting other manufacturing markets and overseas shipyards, including in the United States.
HD Hyundai Robotics is already developing humanoids for shipyard applications. The company is working with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and Persona AI on humanoid welding robots, with field verification and commercialization work underway.
