German high-tech company NEURA Robotics has entered into a strategic partnership with HD Hyundai Samho and HD Hyundai Robotics. The companies plan to jointly develop and test specialized quadruped and humanoid robots for use in the shipbuilding industry.
Quadruped and humanoid robots will be tested under real-world conditions, with a focus on validating their potential to increase efficiency, safety, and productivity.
Under the agreement, HD Hyundai Samho will provide the demonstration environments and validate practical applicability, drawing on its experience in automation solutions in shipbuilding.
HD Hyundai Robotics, an expert in welding automation, will provide technical support, including path learning data and performance validation.
NEURA Robotics will contribute its cognitive robotics technology – including the humanoid platform 4NE1 – to the development and commercialization of humanoid solutions for shipbuilding applications.
“This strategic partnership once again demonstrates the versatility of cognitive robots – even in one of the most demanding industrial environments in the world. Together with Hyundai, we are laying the groundwork for entirely new paths in intelligent automation,” said David Reger, founder and CEO of NEURA Robotics.
The agreement for this collaboration was signed during Automatica in Munich at the end of June.
Earlier this year, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Robotics signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Persona AI, a company in embodied artificial intelligence, and robotics integration and manufacturing firm Vazil Company.
The initiative will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial deployment scheduled to begin in 2027.
Persona AI will lead the development of humanoid hardware and AI-based control and learning algorithms.
Vazil Company will develop the welding tools and build the industrial testing environment.
HD KSOE will support deployment in live shipyard settings and provide field engineering data.
HD Hyundai Robotics will contribute welding-path AI training data and performance validation.
