LG Innotek is expanding its robotics push from the "eyes" to the "skin," teaming up with Japan’s TDK to develop next-generation vision and tactile sensing modules for physical AI applications.
The companies said Tuesday they have formed a strategic partnership combining LG Innotek’s optical and precision engineering capabilities with TDK’s broad portfolio of sensor technologies.
Under the partnership, LG Innotek will integrate TDK sensors, including inertial measurement units, position sensors and microphones, into its vision sensing modules. The companies aim to introduce their first module equipped with an inertial sensor in 2027.
The next-generation modules will go beyond conventional systems that primarily collect visual information, combining data on movement, direction and sound to give robots a more accurate understanding of their surroundings, LG said.
For instance, adding TDK’s inertial measurement unit to an LG Innotek vision module could compensate for image distortion or shaking caused by a robot’s movement, helping it better recognize its environment. Combining several sensors in a single module could also simplify development for robot makers, eliminating the need to separately procure and connect multiple sensors, the company added.
LG Innotek and TDK are also jointly developing a tactile sensing module with completion targeted for 2027. Designed to function much like human skin, the component can be installed on robot hands, arms and bodies to detect physical contact and pressure.
Such modules require highly precise, ultrathin and flexible structures and are emerging alongside vision sensing as key components for increasingly sophisticated robots.
LG Innotek will contribute module integration and digital signal-processing technologies, while TDK will provide its precision tactile sensing expertise. The companies also plan to expand cooperation into real-time sensor data processing and other physical AI technologies.
"Multisensing, which combines numerous sensors, will become increasingly important in robotics," LG Innotek CEO Moon Hyuk-soo said, adding that the partnership would help the company strengthen its position in the market for core robot components.
LG Innotek has been stepping up its physical AI push by combining its camera, lidar and radar technologies. The company says its ability to supply all three sensing technologies in-house gives it an edge as it expands partnerships with global technology companies, including Boston Dynamics.
The global physical AI market is projected to grow to $960.4 billion by 2033 from $81.6 billion in 2025, according to Grand View Research. The market for tactile sensors used in electronic skin is expected to reach about $21.5 billion by 2033, up from $3.68 billion in 2025.
Japan-based TDK has spent more than two decades building its sensor business and has a portfolio spanning inertial, position, pressure and temperature sensors, technologies increasingly being applied to physical AI systems.
herim@heraldcorp.com