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AI semiconductor startup Mobilint said Thursday that it has begun developing an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) and AI computing platform for LG Electronics' humanoid robots.
This development is being carried out as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 'K-On-Device AI Semiconductor Technology Development Project.' Mobilint is conducting this project in collaboration with LG Electronics and Nota. Under this arrangement, LG Electronics will develop the humanoid system, Mobilint will develop the NPU and AI computing platform, and Nota will supply optimized AI models.
In this development, Mobilint plans to focus on jointly optimizing the NPU and software to efficiently allocate computational resources and ensure that critical tasks are processed in a timely manner.
Unlike conventional AI, humanoids must simultaneously perform computations for various AIs, including VLMs (Vision-Language Models) and VLAs (Vision-Language-Action Models), while processing diverse sensor input data such as object recognition, movement, safety judgment, and voice processing. At the same time, they must manage power consumption and heat generation within limited battery capacity and space, necessitating specialized NPUs and AI computing platforms.
Accordingly, Mobilint plans to develop an AI computing platform that bundles not only the NPU but also modules and software into a single unit, thereby reducing the burden on robot manufacturers of individually connecting and optimizing semiconductors and AI models.
The developed NPU and AI computing platform are planned to be integrated with LG Electronics' humanoid robots for daily living spaces. The company plans to focus its verification efforts on latency when multiple AIs run simultaneously, power consumption and heat generation, stability during long-term operation, and module reliability against walking vibrations and impacts. Mobilint stated that it will expand the acquired technology across the entire physical AI sector, including service robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), smart home appliances, and AI cameras.
Park Ju-hyun, head of planning division of Mobilint, said, "In physical AI, it is important not only for computational performance but also for AI judgments to be quickly and stably translated into machine movements." He added, "Through verification with LG Electronics' humanoid robots, we will build a foundation for expanding into various physical AI products."
[MoneyToday Startup Media Platform Unicorn Factory]
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