Robot engineering specialists Wonik Robotics (www.simlab.co.kr) was established in 2004. Since then, they have been supplying robot simulators and robot software products based on real-time kinetic engines and robot engine control technology. Originally “SimLab” at its founding, the company’s name was change to Wonik after its takeover last year by the Wonik Group. Wonik Robotics was recognized with the Prime Minister Award in 2012 for its technical expertise in Intelligent Robot Technology at the 7th Korea Robot Prizes.

With his unique perspective and confidence, CEO of Wonik Robotics Kyong-sok Chang made the leap into the robotics industry at its dawn, leading his small venture company for over 10 years to amass technological know-how and intellectual property rights through robotics development and consulting, and becoming Korea’s premier robot specialists.

The company achieved prominence when they developed “RoboticsLab,” a robotics software development environment, which is used in a wide range of fields such as robot models, control algorithm production, content development, and robot engineering education. During its SimLab days, the company’s widely recognized skills in robot software framework and interface warranted teaming up with Seoul National University (SNU) to take part in the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-organized DARPA Robotics Challenge.

The “Allegro Hand” is a Wonik-developed robot hand. With 16 independent torque-controlled joints, this product is being actively used by global research institutions. Earlier this year, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland developed a electromyograph (EMG)-based remote controlled robot hand technology using Wonik’s own robotic hand. Wonik’s Allegro Hand has been recognized internationally by robot-related international conferences such as IEEE ICRA.

▲Wonik Robotics shopping helper and CEO Chang(left)

Recently, Wonik announced plans for technical collaboration and joint sales marketing in the field of service robots with Asiana IDT. The two companies concluded an MOU for collaborative use of their respective solutions and infrastructures in the information and advertising service robot related field.
Asiana IDT is a transportation IT company with experience in IT construction and maintenance in transportation/shipping fields such as air/bus/railway/airport/ terminal. As specialists in these fields, they hold key technological solutions in reservations/ticketing, passenger services, navigation, cargo, maintenance, and vehicle management. In addition, their in-house-developed big data analysis solution “Insight-Eye” has received much attention for its technological superiority, being used in a wide range of big data businesses such as the Korea Consumer Agency, National Disaster Management Research Institute, and Lotte Confectionary.

Wonik Robotics’ key technologies in robot HW and robot SW such as the porter robot and guide robot has allowed it to carry out the pilot service of the shopping helper robot at Incheon International Airport. In the first half of this year, Wonik Robotics worked together with Asiana IDT to bring about the Incheon International Airport Shopping Helper Robot Demonstration Service Project, taking charge of the robot guidance application and technology development in the robot contents field. The shopping carrying robot is an intelligent cart robot based on autonomous driving technology, which can carry the customer's load.

Wonik Robotics Co., Ltd. plans to increase its manpower in preparation for the upcoming surge in the robotics market. Mr. Chang stated, "We are staring into the face of the fourth industrial revolution. Wonik came into the robot business at the optimal time, and we plan to discover and nurture talent for greater growth through our technological innovation.” He added, “With our technical skills and know-how, we will produce a synergistic effect, and our company will lead the global service robots market within the next five years."