LG Electronics' food delivery robot CLOi ServeBot is seen in a restaurant. LG said Monday it has launched a subscription service for its AI-equipped CLOi robots for business-to-business clients, including retailers, restaurants, hotels and hospitals. Courtesy of LG Electronics
Baek Byung-yeol
LG Electronics said on Monday it has launched a subscription service for its CLOi robot equipped with enhanced AI capabilities as part of its efforts to expand its presence in the business-to-business (B2B) market.
This month, LG is launching a Robot as a Service (RaaS) subscription service featuring the CLOi ServeBot, a service robot that can serve food in restaurants and help with deliveries in hospitals and hotels.
LG hopes that the CLOi robot subscription service will help reduce the high initial purchase costs and the burden of product management and inspection that B2B customers have had to consider when introducing service robots.
“During the contract period, LG will provide professional management and services every six months through its Care Solution Manager service,” the company said. “This includes checking the product condition of the automatic detection system, distance detection sensor, motor, power switch, charging terminal, robot wheel operation, regular inspection for exterior damage, exterior cleaning, etc.”
The CLOi ServeBot features independent suspension on all six wheels to prevent spills caused by sudden stops, starts and vibrations, allowing it to move steadily across uneven store floors while transporting food and liquids.
The robot's LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors and 3D cameras can scan the space to avoid obstacles, and it can carry loads of up to 40 kilograms, the company added.
In addition to CLOi ServeBot, LG has also launched a subscription service for CLOi TuiiBot, a cooking robot developed by its in-house startup.
“CLOi TuiiBot is a deep-frying robot that automatically moves trays and cooks,” the company said. “Not only does it maintain consistent taste based on pre-entered recipes, but it also prevents safety accidents during cooking thanks to its integrated hood and safety fence.”
LG said the subscription contract period for the robots is three years, with the monthly subscription fee for CLOi ServeBot being 660,000 won ($478) and the monthly subscription fee for CLOi TuiiBot being 1.4 million won.
LG plans to continue expanding its robot subscription services for B2B customers to capitalize on the growing robot market. According to the Korea Robot Industry Association, the size of South Korea's service robot market is expected to be around 1 trillion won in 2022, up around 10% from the previous year.
The home appliance maker is focusing on expanding its presence in the subscription market, and the robot subscription service brings the company's total number of subscription service products to 22, including water purifiers, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs and laptops.
