POSCO signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday with the group's engineering service affiliate POSCO DX and corporate venture capital arm POSCO Investment, along with U.S. humanoid robot startup Persona AI, to jointly develop and deploy industrial robots tailored for steelmaking environments.
Under the agreement, the partners will begin a proof-of-concept trial this month at POSCO's steel mills, where humanoid robots will assist workers in managing logistics for steel coils weighing between 20 and 40 tons.
The robots will work alongside human operators to fasten crane belts onto massive rolled steel products during unloading operations, a task that currently poses significant safety risks and exposes workers to repetitive strain injuries.
POSCO said the collaboration aims to create a safer working environment through human-robot cooperation at its facilities, which handle coils weighing up to several dozen tons.
POSCO DX will design and build robot automation systems while co-developing steelworks-specific models. POSCO Investment will support the proof-of-concept process, and Persona AI will be responsible for developing the humanoid robot platform customized for industrial sites.
Persona AI, founded in 2024 by prominent roboticists and industry veterans, is developing industrial humanoid robots capable of handling tasks ranging from delicate component assembly to heavy-load operations. The startup has incorporated hand technology from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration with its proprietary precision control systems.
The memorandum of understanding comes just few months after the group announced a total of $3 million investment in the US-based industrial humanoid robot company. The group envisioned a physical AI implemented industrial site, with its AI technology guiding Persona AI's robotics technology.
The conglomerate has been exploring humanoid robot applications for terminal logistics operations since 2024, considering the demanding conditions of its heavy industrial sites.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.