Robotics is a key technology of the fourth industrial revolution along with other technologies, such as AI, big data, AR/VR, and IoT. In the past, most robots were used to perform repetitive tasks in settings considered too dangerous for humans. For example, robots were utilized in automobile assembly lines, rovers in space exploration, and ROVs/AUVs in ocean exploration. Today, we see robots performing a variety of tasks and in more familiar settings. Examples of such robots include robot vacuums for homes, surgical robots for hospitals, and collaborative robots working alongside human workers for factory lines. In the near future, we expect to see more robots in our daily lives.

While we often see robotics and technology convergence in different fields such as transportation and logistics through driverless cars and drones, the integration of robotics technology in caregiver assistance and in “smart cities” is also inevitable. According to Moody’s, the number of “super-aged” countries ? where more than one in five of the population is 65 or older ? would reach 34 (including South Korea) by 2030. In addition, on a macro scale, many countries are interested in “smart cities” to improve quality of life in cities. Assisting the elderly or caregivers and developing smart cities would require the convergence of various technologies such as IoT, 5G, and robotics.

According to a recent report by the International Robot Federation (IFR), Korea ranks first in the world in robot density, with 710 industrial robots per 10,000 workers as of 2017. Most of these robots are used in automotive, semiconductor, and display industries. However, global competition for robots has risen as companies such as Google, Amazon, and Samsung have recently produced logistics or service robots. China's robotics industry is also rapidly growing and Japanese companies have introduced assistant robots and nursing care robots to the market.