Samsung's Quiet Robot Revolution: A Cost-Effective Advantage
Samsung's foray into the world of humanoid robots is making waves, and it's not just through its publicly announced divisions. The tech giant has been quietly developing its own humanoid robot, separate from its Robotics eXperience (RX) division and Rainbow Robotics subsidiary, and it's already making strides. This in-house project, according to Korean media reports, is in an advanced stage and could potentially outperform several domestic competitors.
What's particularly intriguing is Samsung's approach to reducing costs. The company is leveraging its expertise in motor technology, which is crucial for humanoid robots, to develop the robot's actuators. Actuators, which can account for up to 60 percent of humanoid production costs, are being adapted from Samsung's home-appliance business, where the company produces brushless DC (BLDC) motors on a large scale for products like washing machines, air conditioners, and refrigerators. These motors use technologies that are also relevant to robotic actuators, including windings, permanent magnets, rotor balancing, and electronic control systems.
This strategic move could give Samsung a significant cost advantage over rival humanoid makers. By utilizing its existing production infrastructure, Samsung can reduce the time and resources required to manufacture robotic actuators, which are a critical component of humanoid robots. This is a smart move, as it allows Samsung to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market without the need for extensive new production capabilities.
Samsung's robot push extends beyond hardware. The company is also developing AI systems to control and improve robot performance. Its Gauss large language model provides a foundation for robotics AI, and Samsung Research has developed Shallow-π, a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model that combines visual perception, language understanding, and physical movement. Shallow-π reduces computational requirements to one-third of conventional VLA systems and enables robots to make 17 decisions per second, achieving a 95 percent success rate on precision water-hose insertion tasks.
Furthermore, Samsung is reportedly developing a World Model that can predict the physical consequences of actions before robots execute them, potentially helping machines learn new tasks and adapt to unfamiliar environments. The company plans to establish a Robot Data Factory at its Gumi campus, using data generated by robots working on semiconductor, smartphone, and appliance production lines. This real-world data could help train AI systems and reduce the sim-to-real gap.
Samsung's in-house humanoid project is described as more advanced than Rainbow Robotics' RB-Y1 wheeled dual-arm robot, which is being tested in logistics operations. The company's RX division, launched in July 2026, oversees the broader robotics strategy, including core technology development, business execution, and international research hubs. While Rainbow Robotics remains an important part of Samsung's robotics strategy with a 35 percent controlling stake, the in-house humanoid project is seen as a more significant step forward.
In conclusion, Samsung's quiet robot revolution is a testament to its innovative approach and commitment to staying at the forefront of robotics. By leveraging its existing expertise and infrastructure, the company is poised to make significant strides in the humanoid robot market, potentially reshaping the industry and setting a new standard for cost-effective, advanced robotics.
