Robots navigate accurately even with their "eyes" covered… New indoor positioning technology draws attention

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"Outdoors, location can be identified by latitude and longitude, but indoors there is no standard coordinate system to pinpoint such coordinates. We are creating a common coordinate system that allows for the understanding of physical space, building an environment where robots can collaborate organically with humans and move."

Millitrack, a faculty-founded startup from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) led by Kim Seong-min (CEO), develops technology to establish precise coordinate systems in indoor spaces. The goal is to enable various types of robots and humans to identify their locations and move based on the same coordinate system.

Generally, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that roam factories read their surroundings using LiDAR and cameras to determine their own position. However, in areas with heavy dust or steam, visibility is obscured, and strong sunlight also interferes with sensor recognition. If a robot cannot accurately identify its location, disruptions occur in movement and operations.

Kim (CEO), a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, founded Millitrack in January 2024 to apply indoor positioning technology researched over eight years to industrial sites. The fact that the related technology received awards in academia, recognizing its potential, also became a factor in deciding to start the business. Kim (CEO) stated, "In a situation where current positioning technologies all rely on foreign core technologies, I wanted to prove the excellence of domestic core technology developed at KAIST."

The technological capability was first recognized in academia. The company received the Best Paper Award twice at ACM MobiSys, an international conference in the field of mobile computing, and has filed and registered 22 patents domestically and internationally. Kim (CEO) explained the background of the startup, saying, "In a situation where current positioning technologies all rely on foreign core technologies, I wanted to prove the excellence of domestic core technology developed at KAIST."

Millitrack products are operating on production lines at domestic major conglomerate steel mills and shipyards. At the steel mill, the product was attached to a vehicle transporting molten steel at approximately 1500 degrees Celsius (°C) to confirm stable operation even in high-temperature environments. The product is manufactured with IP65 rating, which provides protection against dust and water.

Millitrack's system consists of a 'tracker' attached to moving objects and 'tags' installed on walls or pillars. By measuring the distance and angle between the two devices via radio waves, it achieves location precision at the level of 3 cm over distances up to 30 m. It is explained that, unlike methods using light, location can be measured even in environments with heavy dust or steam.

The installation and maintenance method is also a differentiator. Existing indoor real-time location systems (RTLS) often require measuring locations with surveying equipment every time a reference point is installed. Millitrack applies a method where devices measure each other's positions to align coordinates. Tags can be used for up to 20 years on a single battery, reducing the burden of separate power wiring.

Millitrack has also developed 'AMR+', a service that supplements robot positioning using its own coordinate system. In this method, robots move in the conventional manner as usual, but when entering sections where securing visibility is difficult, they use the Millitrack system to identify their location. It was designed so that it can be applied without replacing existing robots or comprehensively changing processes.

Kim (CEO) stated, "A precise common coordinate system is essential for effectively operating multiple heterogeneous AMRs," adding, "As robots become more widespread in the future, its importance will grow even greater."

Millitrack plans to expand supply to manufacturing sites domestically and internationally using this technology. It is also proceeding with radio certifications required for overseas expansion in countries such as Korea, the United States, and Europe. The company intends to generate revenue through equipment sales and software license contracts associated with adoption.

Millitrack, which has completed up to the Pre-Series A round, plans to raise follow-on investment in 2027. The investment will be utilized for product Yangsan and overseas expansion. Kim (CEO) said, "Creating products that customers can use conveniently and gaining trust is a priority," adding, "We aim for our products to be prioritized in the fields of domestic and international manufacturing automation and robot navigation."

Millitrack will compete as a KAIST faculty Won Chang-eop-tim (CEO) in the finals of the '2026 K-Deep Tech Startup King of the Kings,' which will be held on the 30th at the B Hall Plus Stage of COEX in Seoul Samsung-dong (Spectator Application : https://forms.gle/McNBqdiBts8RJazVA).

The King of the Kings competition, now in its fifth edition, is a deep tech startup contest hosted by MoneyToday's startup media platform Unicorn Factory and co-hosted by six national science and technology specialized universities (KAIST, DGIST, UNIST, GIST, POSTECH, KENTECH).

The judging panel for this competition includes Samsung C-Lab Outside, GS Ventures, Ecopro Partners, L&S Venture Capital, LB Investment, Blue Point Partners, Series Ventures, CNTech, Korea Technology Holdings, and the R&D Special Zone Promotion Foundation.

Experts ranging from major conglomerate CVCs (corporate venture capital) to deep tech-specialized venture capital (VC), early-stage investment accelerators (AC), and public technology commercialization institutional investors gather to evaluate the commercialization potential and investment attractiveness of the technologies.

A total of 12 teams, six each from the faculty startup and student startup categories, have advanced to the final stage. The evaluation will be conducted in the same format as a business presentation (IR) for actual fundraising, with a 10-minute presentation and 10-minute Q&A session per team. The evaluation metrics are △Technicality 30 points △Marketability 20 points △Business Viability 40 points △Team Capability 10 points.

The two teams (one faculty, one student) with the highest scores in each category will be awarded the Grand Prize, including an award from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT and a prize money of 3 million won. Four teams receiving the Excellence Award will be given the R&D Special Zone Promotion Foundation Lee (President) Award and 1 million won in prize money, while six teams receiving the Encouragement Award will each receive the MoneyToday CEO Award and 500,000 won in prize money.

Winning teams will be provided with bonus benefits when linked to corporate CVC open innovation or participating in the Global Digital Innovation Network (GDIN) overseas expansion program. Additionally, regardless of winning status, all 12 teams that reached the finals will receive a one-year follow-up scale-up program supporting corporate promotion, expert consulting, and investor networking.

<5th K-Deep Tech Startup King of the Kings Spectator Application >

-Date: October 30 (Fri) 9:30~17:00

-Location: COEX B Hall PLUS STAGE, Seoul

-Target: Deep tech field startups and investment VC reviewers

-Hosts: KAIST, DGIST, UNIST, GIST, POSTECH, KENTECH, MoneyToday Unicorn Factory

-Application : https://forms.gle/McNBqdiBts8RJazVA

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