ANYANG, South Korea — AIDIN Robotics has raised 16 billion won ($11.6 million) from HD Hyundai Robotics and Samsung Venture Investment to expand robot sensor production and develop automation for shipbuilding and heavy industry.

HD Hyundai provided 13 billion won of the total and acquired an undisclosed stake in AIDIN, according to a Sept. 14 announcement (Korean-language source) from the industrial robot manufacturer. Neither company disclosed the valuation or other financial terms.

AIDIN develops force-torque and tactile sensors that allow robots to measure contact with objects and control how much force they apply. The company also develops robot control software, hands, grippers and automated surface-finishing systems.

The new funding will be used to establish mass production equipment and quality verification systems for force-torque sensors and expand AIDIN’s research and development team, the sensor developer said (Korean-language source). It plans to increase annual sensor production capacity to 30,000 units. AIDIN did not disclose its current capacity or a schedule for reaching the target.

AIDIN and HD Hyundai plan to begin their industrial work by developing a force-controlled robotic system for surface treatment of ship hull plates and welded block joints. Grinding, polishing and related surface-finishing jobs can be difficult to automate because workpiece shapes and force requirements vary.

The companies intend to test the system at South Korean shipyards before seeking wider use in domestic manufacturing and eventually overseas, including in the United States. They did not identify participating shipyards or provide a testing schedule.

A separate development program will focus on a heavy-duty, five-finger robotic hand for a humanoid robot under development by HD Hyundai. AIDIN said it would apply force-control data and operating experience collected from shipyard work to the hand.

HD Hyundai said the investment would give it access to sensing and control technology that could help its robots adjust their grip and movement when they contact objects. The announcement does not establish that either the shipyard system or the humanoid hand is ready for commercial use.

AIDIN was founded in 2019 by Sungkyunkwan University professor Choi Hyuk-ryul and CEO Lee Yoon-haeng. The company exports six-axis force-torque sensors to 10 countries, including China, France, Germany, Japan and Spain, according to Hankook Ilbo (Korean-language source).

AIDIN has not disclosed its revenue or valuation. The companies also have not released technical specifications, pricing or an availability date for the planned hand.