Unichem adds ‘Loomia founder, U.S. robotics scholar’ to board; appointments approved at shareholders’ meeting

[Financial News]  Unichem is seeking to expand its business from electronic skin for robots into tactile learning data. The plan is to go beyond detecting contact with sensors and provide data for robot learning on the pressure and force adjustments people use when handling objects.
According to Unichem on the 27th, proposals to appoint Loomia Technologies founder Madison Maxey as an inside director and Monroe Kennedy III, a professor at Stanford University in the United States and director of ARM Lab, as an outside director were approved at an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting held that day. Following its agreement to acquire 100% of Loomia, Unichem has brought experts in sensor commercialization and robot learning onto its board.
Newly appointed director Maxey has led the commercialization of flexible electronics technology that combines electronic circuits and sensors with soft materials such as textiles. Loomia also has experience developing pressure sensors for robotic hands for Festo, a German industrial automation company. Newly appointed director Kennedy has conducted research on tactile sensing, dexterous object manipulation, and robot learning using human demonstration data.
Unichem plans to draw on the expertise of both directors to commercialize sensors and secure learning data. The approach is to equip robot hands and outer skins with contact and pressure sensors, while collecting real-world task data using smart gloves worn by people.
Loomia has completed the design of the key sensors for its smart gloves and begun evaluating the data. After validating performance and data reliability, it plans to pursue deployment at logistics sites and expand its customer base to global robot development companies.
Meanwhile, Asia commercialization will be led by Kim Han-ju, Unichem’s chief strategy officer (CSO) and co-CEO of Loomia. Kim will lead Loomia’s Korea office, pursuing customer development in Korea, China and Japan and discussions on product deployment. Unichem’s headquarters will handle overall business strategy and its smart automotive interior materials business, while Loomia’s U.S. headquarters will oversee technology development and engagement with global big tech customers.
A source in the robotics industry said, “In the tactile business, what matters is not only sensor performance but also whether data gathered from real-world tasks can be used for robot learning,” adding, “On-site validation and securing paying customers will be the criteria for assessing commercial viability.” 


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