Naver following footsteps of Google in hardware

Seen above is Ambidex, a robot arm prototype developed by Naver. The robot is expected to be used for cooking, laundry, serving, nursing and other daily activities. / Courtesy of Naver

By Rha Hae-sung, Lee Min-hyung

Naver is following in the footsteps of Google in its hardware business strategy, focusing on combining its big data expertise with artificial intelligence (AI).

In a two-day developer conference which began Monday, the company showcased a series of technological and robotic prototypes for use in daily life. They include the wearable device AKI that can track the locations of users’ children in real-time. The nation’s top portal operator highlighted that the smart device, set to be commercialized next January, comes with its global positioning system and location-understanding technologies.

This comes a year after Naver unveiled its AI speaker, Wave.

Google also launched its AI speaker, Google Home, and a string of AI-powered smart hardware — such as Pixel smartphones equipped with the voice Google Assistant. The software is compatible with major Android smartphones.

“Naver has been developing robots that are practical and helpful to people’s living space under the goal of creating robots that will take part in human life,” Naver chief technology officer Song Chang-hyun said in a speech during the DEVIEW annual conference.

“Crucial research areas for robots are mobility that enables hardware to freely move in the living space and with AI that understands regular patterns of daily life. AI-driven robots feature the capability to furnish labor services for its owners.”

The exhibition of its robot technology implies that Naver, which started its business as a search portal operator, is expanding its presence into the AI-combined hardware industry to brace for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The drive comes at a time when Google is seeking to enhance its relatively-weak hardware profile.

Last year, the company unveiled its new high-end Android smartphones, smart speakers and other gadgets in an attempt to take on leading hardware companies such as Apple and Samsung. The flagship Pixel handsets from Google have yet to generate tangible outcomes, falling short of stealing the limelight from smartphone leaders Apple and Samsung Electronics.

For this reason, the company is all-out to scout tech manpower from Samsung and other manufacturing titans.

On its way to tackle Google, however, Naver has adopted a distinct theme stressing pragmatic hardware that perceives the environment of its users to naturally provide necessary information and services for them.

The robot arm Ambidex, for instance, is expected to be used in cooking, laundry, serving, nursing and rehabilitation, all of which are related to daily life. Another robot exhibited during the conference, Around, is used to pick up and carry books in bookstores enhancing the convenience of people.

Naver also announced it will improve its automotive technology up to “level four,” which refers to the position where machines can control every aspect of in-vehicle driving procedures, except for destination-setting and driving modes. None of the tech titans and research bodies have yet to reach this level.