Hyundai Rotem is collaborating with fellow South Korean firm Rainbow Robotics to design and develop a multi-legged walking defense robot for military counter-terrorism missions.
The two companies will exchange technologies to produce a cutting-edge military robot that combines unmanned weapon systems and advanced autonomous technologies.
The partnership comes amid growing global demand for robots capable of operating on battlefields, disaster areas, and urban areas.
Multi-legged robots have the ability to move through extreme terrain, including rocky boulders and narrow mountain trails. They can also maneuver faster in severe terrain conditions to carry supplies or injured soldiers.
Hyundai said that its partnership with the robotics firm would further strengthen its research and development capabilities, as well as its “competitiveness” in manufacturing state-of-the-art equipment.
The multi-legged robot will be used to perform surveillance and reconnaissance missions, particularly during counter-terrorism operations.
Rainbow Robotics has already been contracted by the South Korean military to develop quadrupedal robots for surveillance and search operations.
“Our robot is made with 100 percent of our own technology, know-how, and parts,” Rainbow Robotics chief executive Lee Jung-ho said, as quoted by AJU Business Daily.
“We will do our best for the successful development of a defense robot with Hyundai Rotem, which has the ability to develop future weapons systems.”
Hyundai’s Robot Ventures
During the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2021, Hyundai Rotem unveiled its leg-wheel military robot dubbed the DOSS (daring operations in service and search).
The DOSS has wheels for flat terrain and nimble legs that enable the robot to walk on uneven terrains.