Robots See a Surge in Demand amid COVID-19 Pandemic<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d18r0a86za96sg.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/27193954\/Robots-in-demand-due-to-COVID-19.png\")
<\/p>\n
Since the unprecedented spread of COVID-19, the demand and interest for robots have surged \u2013 mainly due to the newfound benefits of \u201cnon-face-to-face\u201d interactions. For example, Seoul National University Hospital recently introduced cleaning robots and guidance robots to prevent secondary infections in the hospital and reduce the burden on its employees.<\/p>\n
The guidance robots help employees measure visitors\u2019 temperatures and ask them about their respiratory symptoms. The cleaning robots utilize latest technologies to drive autonomously indoors and avoid obstacles to safely clean the hospital with complex moving patterns. In the non-face-to-face system utilizing robots, the risk of virus transmission is expected to decrease by changing the numerous procedures that had been previously done manually by human employees.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d18r0a86za96sg.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/27194004\/Robots.png\")
<\/p>\n
The problem is that a highly contagious virus such as COVID-19 might not end easily, and can circulate periodically like an epidemic. In this case, the role of robots is expected to expand further as a medium which helps people communicate without fear of being exposed to infection.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\nIncreased Expectations for \u201cCommunication AI\u201d Delivering Empathy and Comfort<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe number of single-person households is increasing, and a \u201clife without marriage\u201d is proving to be more and more popular option in our societies over the world. As a personal companion, AI for communications that can empathize with people living alone are expected to play a more important role for society in the future.<\/p>\n
AI is already playing an active part in our lives right now, proven by the appearance of various forms of AI based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies recently. For example, AI which heats our home and bath water when we return home, and even makes conversation with us like a friend is already quite common in our society.<\/p>\n
Communication AI has already evolved to a level where it can sympathize with people\u2019s feelings and interactively communicate with us. In particular, it is expected to play a positive role in our society, like taking care of socially vulnerable groups of people such as handicapped children or elderly people living alone, by empathizing with them and delivering comforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d18r0a86za96sg.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/27194019\/Screenshot-from-SK-hynixs-branded-video-clip.png\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Since the unprecedented spread of COVID-19, the demand and interest for robots have surged \u2013 mainly due to the newfound benefits of \u201cnon-face-to-face\u201d interactions. For example, Seoul National University Hospital recently introduced cleaning robots and guidance robots to prevent secondary infections in the hospital and reduce the burden on its employees.<\/p>\n
The guidance robots help employees measure visitors\u2019 temperatures and ask them about their respiratory symptoms. The cleaning robots utilize latest technologies to drive autonomously indoors and avoid obstacles to safely clean the hospital with complex moving patterns. In the non-face-to-face system utilizing robots, the risk of virus transmission is expected to decrease by changing the numerous procedures that had been previously done manually by human employees.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The problem is that a highly contagious virus such as COVID-19 might not end easily, and can circulate periodically like an epidemic. In this case, the role of robots is expected to expand further as a medium which helps people communicate without fear of being exposed to infection.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Increased Expectations for \u201cCommunication AI\u201d Delivering Empathy and Comfort<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe number of single-person households is increasing, and a \u201clife without marriage\u201d is proving to be more and more popular option in our societies over the world. As a personal companion, AI for communications that can empathize with people living alone are expected to play a more important role for society in the future.<\/p>\n
AI is already playing an active part in our lives right now, proven by the appearance of various forms of AI based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies recently. For example, AI which heats our home and bath water when we return home, and even makes conversation with us like a friend is already quite common in our society.<\/p>\n
Communication AI has already evolved to a level where it can sympathize with people\u2019s feelings and interactively communicate with us. In particular, it is expected to play a positive role in our society, like taking care of socially vulnerable groups of people such as handicapped children or elderly people living alone, by empathizing with them and delivering comforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The number of single-person households is increasing, and a \u201clife without marriage\u201d is proving to be more and more popular option in our societies over the world. As a personal companion, AI for communications that can empathize with people living alone are expected to play a more important role for society in the future.<\/p>\n
AI is already playing an active part in our lives right now, proven by the appearance of various forms of AI based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies recently. For example, AI which heats our home and bath water when we return home, and even makes conversation with us like a friend is already quite common in our society.<\/p>\n
Communication AI has already evolved to a level where it can sympathize with people\u2019s feelings and interactively communicate with us. In particular, it is expected to play a positive role in our society, like taking care of socially vulnerable groups of people such as handicapped children or elderly people living alone, by empathizing with them and delivering comforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d18r0a86za96sg.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/27194026\/namecard_seo_dong_ho.png\")
<\/p>\n