Robot module definition standard, directly related to robot economic efficiency
Completed procedures for service robot modularization standard approval
Production and distribution of modular robot parts possible


Korea has taken the lead in developing international standards in the field of robot modularity, which standardizes the parts that make up robots.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's National Institute of Standards and Technology announced that the international standard draft for the 'General Requirements for Modularization of Service Robots' proposed by Professor Hongseong Park of Kangwon National University at the 'Service Robot International Standardization Conference' held in Jeju from the 3rd to the 7th has completed the procedure for standard approval (Final Draft International Standard; FDIS). This document is expected to be registered as an international standard after final circulation to member countries.

This international standard defines a 'robot module' that is functionally independent among robot system components and can be partially developed, replaced, and recycled. It is a technology that is directly related to compatibility between manufacturers and the economic feasibility of robot development.

If the modularization standards for service robots are internationally standardized under the leadership of Korea, it will be possible to produce and distribute robot parts with guaranteed compatibility in a modular form, which will allow our small and medium-sized enterprises to enter the robot market more easily and is expected to promote the development of new products for various service robots.

Professor Hongseong Park of Kangwon National University proposed it as a new international standard to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in February 2017, and discussions have continued for the past three years. This standard is scheduled to pass the FDIS stage, the final gateway to the international standardization process, in June and be established as an international standard within this year.

In addition, Korea has laid the foundation for preempting international standards in the field of modularization of service robots by conducting detailed discussions on proposing two follow-up standards for this international standard as new international standard tasks (New Proposals; NPs) at this meeting.

Two international standard proposals specifying 'Interfaces between modules of service robots' and 'Common information for software interfaces' are scheduled to be proposed as new tasks in May and November, respectively.

In addition, Korea, led by Professor Seungbin Moon of Sejong University, proposed a revision to the 'International Standard for Service Robot Driving Performance (ISO18646-2)' in October of this year by adding performance items such as 'path accuracy', which enabled Korea to take the lead in developing a revision to the international standard for driving performance.

In the field of service robot safety standardization, LG Electronics has been at the forefront of activities to propose revised items to improve the 'excessive safety requirements that may be detrimental to the domestic industry' in the 'International Standard for Safety Requirements for Personal Assistance Robots (ISO 13482)'.

Meanwhile, around 20 experts were unable to attend this meeting due to the coronavirus outbreak, including the Chinese (7 people) and German (4 people) delegations. However, in accordance with ISO's guidelines for holding meetings, the experts who were unable to attend participated in the meeting through a web meeting.