Plans to introduce drone, IoT, and robotics technologies

LG Uplus announced that it will begin implementing a 'Smart Connected Metro' that combines the latest ICT technology with subway infrastructure in collaboration with Seoul Metro.

To this end, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the ‘Demonstration Project for the Implementation of SCM (Smart Connected Metro)’ at the Seoul Metro headquarters in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, with Gong Jun-il, Head of the Corporate Division at LG Uplus, and Choi Jeong-gyun, Head of the Technology Division at Seoul Metro, in attendance, and agreed to cooperate with each other.

The two companies will pursue three demonstration projects for a smart connected metro: ▲'bridge safety diagnosis using drones,' ▲'IoT motor diagnosis,' and ▲'cleaning robot operation.' They plan to utilize the data collected during the demonstration project process to discover future technologies necessary for building a smart subway service.

Among the three demonstration projects, the bridge safety diagnosis using drones involves remotely diagnosing facilities that are difficult for workers to inspect in person, such as bridge piers or decks, using images captured by drones using LG U+'s cloud drone control system.

LG U+'s IoT motor diagnosis installs IoT devices on power supply panels for critical subway operation facilities such as chillers and air conditioners, and collects current/voltage data from the motors in real time to analyze the current facility status.

Cleaning robots can autonomously clean designated areas and return automatically when recharging, ensuring the subway station interiors are always clean. When the robot detects a customer during cleaning, it announces, "Cleaning in progress." It also provides voice guidance such as “Excuse me, could you please step aside for a moment?”

In addition to this, we plan to pursue various future transportation-related projects, such as unmanned subway tags utilizing facial recognition and 5G-based AR navigation.

Meanwhile, ahead of this demonstration project, LG U+ completed the construction of an LTE-based 'safety management wireless communication network' on Seoul Metro's subway infrastructure by the end of this month to establish the basic infrastructure for smart connected metro services.

The safety management wireless communication network is a dedicated LTE network that enables fast and smooth communication between subway infrastructure such as subway trains in operation and stations, with the 'Smart Safety Integrated Situation Room' located at the Seoul Metro headquarters acting as a control tower to respond to unusual situations that may occur on subway lines 1 to 8. LG U+'s LTE radios and IoT helmets are also applied, so that in case of an emergency, command and control can be quickly carried out based on real-time images of the scene transmitted from these devices.

Gong Jun-il, head of LG Uplus' corporate division, said, "We will utilize our leading ICT technology capabilities to work with Seoul Metro to create the world's safest subway system."

Choi Jeong-gyun, head of Seoul Metro's technology division, said, "We expect that LG U+'s advanced technology will make the subway, which is like the feet of Seoul citizens, safer."