Original article: https://robotzine.co.kr/entry/271840

Robotics startup DIDEN Robotics Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as DIDEN Robotics) is expediting the commercialization of the Seungwol robot, which moves freely on walls and ceilings using magnetic feet. With Seungwol robots, DIDEN Robotics is shaping a new paradigm in automation for high-risk environments in manufacturing sites for steel structures, including shipbuilding, by deploying them for welding and inspection tasks. Recognized for its technological prowess, DIDEN Robotics has successfully secured seed investment and announced plans to pursue demonstration projects with major corporations. Introducing the Seungwol robot, which incorporates DIDEN Robotics' electro-permanent magnet technology.

DIDEN Robotics CEO Junha Kim / Photo Credit: Robot Technology

DIDEN Robotics, established in March 2024, is a robotics startup driven by the ambition to develop robots that can work autonomously anywhere. CEO Junha Kim founded the company after obtaining a Ph.D. from Professor Haewon Park's lab at KAIST's Hubo Lab, aiming to develop automation solutions for manufacturing sites of steel structures, including shipbuilding. The company leverages the research and development experience from KAIST to create the Seungwol robot, which operates in dangerous and hard-to-access working environments to reduce risks to workers and improve operational efficiency. 

Professor Haewon Park's team at KAIST Hubo Lab and CEO Junha Kim of DIDEN Robotics (second from right) / Photo Credit: DIDEN Robotics
 

Quadruped Seungwol Robot Walking on Walls and Ceilings
The manufacturing sites of large steel structures, such as those in the shipbuilding industry, require high-altitude operations due to the massive size of each material being processed. In such environments, installing equipment or enabling worker mobility at the processing locations is challenging. While multi-joint robots can be applied to various tasks, their practical use becomes difficult if the work locations or installation parts are curved. Recently distributed multicopters are effective for high-altitude inspections like aerial photography, but they are unsuitable for precision processing tasks requiring reactive force from the target due to high positional accuracy demands.

DIDEN Robotics' Seungwol Robot / Photo Credit: Robot Technology

The solution to these issues is the 'Seungwol Robot.' As its name suggests, the Seungwol robot is designed to maneuver over obstacles and adhere to walls and ceilings. Unlike typical bipedal or quadrupedal robots, the Seungwol robot is engineered for movement and operations on walls and ceilings, with a particular focus on stability and precise work contact. Seungwol robots are broadly categorized into 'air suction method' and 'magnetic method.' The air suction method allows attachment to various surfaces through suction but increases the robot's size for stability, leading to higher energy consumption. Moreover, considering that operations are mostly at heights, there is a risk of the robot falling if the power supply is interrupted. Conversely, the magnetic method is restricted on non-ferrous surfaces and poses challenges in detaching from high magnetic-force surfaces or variations in magnetic strength in curved areas. Utilizing electro-permanent magnet technology, DIDEN Robotics is developing a 30kg payload robot, 'DIDEN30,' that navigates walls and ceilings, overcoming obstacles like differential levels. 

Foot of the Seungwol robot equipped with electro-permanent magnet technology / Photo Credit: Robot Technology

Development of Automation Technologies for Shipbuilding Welding and Inspection
The Seungwol robot by DIDEN Robotics finds applications in inspecting, repairing, and maintaining large steel structures like ship hulls, bridges, transmission towers, and construction sites. This capability is enabled by the electro-permanent magnet (EPM) technology applied to the robot's feet, developed in Professor Haewon Park's lab at KAIST, where CEO Junha Kim previously worked. This technology was selected as one of KAIST's top 10 research achievements in 2023 and was featured in the international journal 'Science Robotics.' By coupling electro-permanent magnets with magneto-rheological elastomers, it provides strong adhesion and rapid adhesion control, reducing the time and energy needed for attachment/detachment.
 

'Marvel,' the Seungwol robot with electro-permanent magnets developed by Professor Haewon Park's team at KAIST / Photo Credit: DIDEN Robotics

However, the shipbuilding industry presents more obstacles than usual industrial settings, with structural components such as beams and pipes. Moreover, the robot must drag a welding line across these structures, requiring methods to prevent line snagging, which can hinder robot movement, cause the robot to fall, or lead to the welding line disengaging, posing safety risks. It's crucial that the robot can walk reliably for direct site use. CEO Junha Kim visits sites to discuss real-world problems and solutions with industry workers, continuously striving to develop applicable technologies through proof tests in various industries. DIDEN Robotics is intensively working on magnetic foot technology and walking control algorithms to ensure the robot walks safely in complex iron environments such as walls and ceilings. 

Typical welding work in the shipbuilding industry

Additionally, to achieve more stable Seungwol walking, we are researching control devices applying reinforcement learning techniques based on dynamic modeling and exploring autonomous driving features to enable efficient operations across diverse environments.

The magnet-based Seungwol robot from DIDEN Robotics maximizes safety and efficiency by performing tasks in hazardous or confined spaces without needing direct worker access. It also saves labor costs by replacing relatively high-wage professionals like welders. Moreover, the robot is designed to prevent falling due to maintained magnetism, even during power outages, while navigating or working on walls and ceilings.

Development of Applicable Robot Technologies Across Various Industries
DIDEN Robotics offers customizable solutions based on mechanical design, electro-permanent magnet design, reinforcement learning, mapping, navigation, and state estimation, utilizing these core technologies in both hardware and software to match customer requirements. 

Recognized for its technology, DIDEN Robotics successfully secured seed investment last August, marking the company's first successful investment since its inception. The company is aggressively pursuing certification for a company-affiliated research institute and expanding its workforce for robot development, equipped with a laboratory and assembly room. 

CEO Junha Kim stated, "Compared to other industries, shipbuilding is extremely hazardous with severe labor shortages. Considerable challenges exist in moving the robot, loading limits, and ensuring safety to implement welding automation in shipbuilding," adding, "We are committed to solving talent shortages by providing solutions that deliver safety and efficiency in tasks like welding and inspection in shipbuilding and beyond."

He also expressed his determination by saying, "We will continue developing with the aim to expand robot mobility and workspace from 2D to 3D using Seungwol robot technology, starting with ship welding, to apply across various industries."