As its traditional businesses face a tough market, LG Electronics is making a major push into humanoid robotics, hoping to find a new engine for growth. The company is even set to unveil a new humanoid home robot, called LG CLOiD, at the upcoming CES tech show in January.
The move comes at a challenging time for LG. The company is expected to report an operating loss for the fourth quarter, a sign that its heavy reliance on TVs and home appliances is becoming a problem. With slowing demand and intense price competition from Chinese companies, LG’s new CEO has made it clear that the company needs to diversify.
To lead this charge, LG has created a new robotics lab and is consolidating its robotics teams to accelerate the development of its “zero labor home” vision. The star of this new effort will be the LG CLOiD, a two-armed humanoid robot designed to handle a wide range of household chores. The company says the robot has human-like hands that can perform delicate tasks and is powered by an AI that allows it to learn from its surroundings. It can also act as a personal assistant, controlling other smart home devices.
To make this all possible, LG is also developing its own in-house AI chips. The company’s latest chip, the DQ-C2, is designed to handle the complex AI workloads needed for a humanoid robot. LG’s big bet on robotics is a clear sign that the company is looking beyond the living room and into a future where robots are a part of our everyday lives.
