Samsung Electronics Establishes '6th AI Center' in New York
KT Enables Group Communication for Tens of Thousands at Disaster Sites
From smart baking to landmine removal, LG U+'s all-out strategy


With the rapid development of AI, IoT, and 5G, companies are moving quickly. Samsung Electronics has expanded its AI industry-academia collaboration globally, and KT demonstrated its 5G technological prowess by successfully showcasing group communication required in disaster environments. Additionally, LG Uplus partnered with Paris Croissant to pilot the latest ICT technologies at Paris Baguette, while simultaneously introducing remote control technology necessary for mine clearing operations.


Samsung Electronics Establishes AI Research Center in New York
Samsung Electronics established a new global AI research center in New York, USA, on the 7th (local time). This is the sixth global AI research center, following the establishment of the Korea AI Headquarters Center last November, Silicon Valley in the US in January, and Cambridge in the UK, Toronto in Canada, and Moscow in Russia in May.

The New York AI Research Center plans to lead research in the field of robotics, and Vice President Daniel D. Lee, a world-renowned authority in AI robotics recruited last June, has been appointed as the center director. In addition, Sebastian Seung (H.), a world-class scholar in the field of brain neuroengineering-based AI, Vice President Sebastian Seung will also lead advanced AI research as Chief Research Scientist.

Meanwhile, last August, Samsung selected AI as one of its four future growth businesses and announced plans to significantly strengthen its research capabilities to secure world-class leadership. To this end, the company plans to secure approximately 1,000 advanced AI R&D personnel at global research hubs, centered around the AI headquarters in Korea, by 2020.


KT Successfully Demonstrates Rel.13 eMBMS GCSE
On the 12th, KT successfully demonstrated the simultaneous transmission of commands and large-capacity content to multiple users using base station equipment from different manufacturers, in conjunction with the construction of a disaster safety communication network. This technology is expected to contribute to rapidly identifying and disseminating damage situations and responding effectively in the event of natural disasters or major accidents.

This demonstration took place between Samsung Electronics and Nokia base station equipment. This is the first time that the 'Rel.13 eMBMS-based Group Communication (GCSE)' technology, defined by the 3GPP, has been successfully demonstrated in different Public Safety LTE base station environments.

Group Communication System Enablers (GCSE), a technology that provides group communication to multiple people in a specific area based on the evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS), enables hundreds to tens of thousands of rescue workers operating in areas affected by large-scale disasters to share situations in real time.

Until now, eMBMS-based GCSE technology was limited to content transmission using equipment from a single manufacturer because the implementation methods for core functions varied by manufacturer and were incompatible. If base stations from different manufacturers were deployed in different regions, core equipment was required for each manufacturer. Going forward, group communication will be possible across all base stations using a single core device, regardless of the equipment manufacturer. As a result, it is expected that not only will costs be reduced, but construction time and operational efficiency will also be improved.

Above all, since it can provide stable group call services even when call volume surges due to a disaster, there are plans to utilize it in disaster safety communication networks (PS-LTE), railway integrated wireless networks (LTE-R), and maritime wireless communication networks (LTE-M).


LG Uplus to Infuse Paris Baguette with ICT
On the 11th, LG Uplus partnered with Paris Croissant to implement a 'Smart Bakery' that combines the latest ICT technologies, such as AI, IoT, and robots, for the first time in the industry. With key executives in attendance, the two companies signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Establishment of a Smart Bakery' at the Paris Baguette Myeongdong Main Branch in Seoul on the 11th and agreed to cooperate with each other.

Under this agreement, the two companies plan to operate a smart bakery pilot service at seven Paris Baguette stores, a franchise bakery brand operated by Paris Croissant, until the end of October. The seven stores are the Yangjae Main Branch, Gangnam Central Branch, PB Gangnam Main Branch, Cafe Sinchon Branch, Ichon Signature Branch, Hannam The Hill Branch, and Lake Palace Branch.

The smart bakery pilot service utilizes LG Electronics' "Cloi Home" robot, equipped with Naver's AI platform "Clova," to greet customers visiting the store and promote products. In addition, it introduces and recommends baked goods and cakes. It also offers cartoon quiz games and other activities for children.

In particular, the Yangjae main branch will also be equipped with six types of IoT devices from LG Uplus, including plugs, switches, air quality monitors, electric blinds, U+ AI remotes, and air purifiers. Through this, it is expected that the work of employees will become much more convenient in bakery stores where indoor environmental management, such as temperature and humidity control, is important.

Moving forward, based on the results of this pilot service, both companies plan to review the expansion of smart bakeries and strengthen AI and IoT services specialized for the baking industry by adding new services.


Remote Mine Clearance, U+ 5G Low-Latency Technology
LG Uplus demonstrated remote-controlled mine removal using 5G technology at the '2018 Korea Defense Industry Exhibition,' held from the 12th to the 16th. The 2018 Korea Defense Industry Exhibition is a biennial event hosted by the Republic of Korea Army Association since 2014, featuring 250 companies from 30 countries showcasing state-of-the-art ground weapons and counter-terrorism equipment used by their respective ground forces across approximately 1,200 booths.

LG Uplus is conducting the Ministry of National Defense's Civil-Military Technology Application Research Project in collaboration with the venture company Rohow, and demonstrated remote-controlled mine removal using a 5G-based heavy equipment remote operation system being developed in this project. LG Uplus provides 5G ultra-high-speed communication and low-latency video transmission technology, and Rohow developed a remote control robot device.

For the demonstration, LG Uplus equipped a mine-clearing excavator located at the outdoor exhibition area of KINTEX with three cameras (left, center, and right), a low-latency video transmitter, a 5G communication device, and a remote control robot device. Video captured by the three cameras mounted on the excavator is compressed at ultra-high speed by the low-latency video transmitter and then transmitted to a remote control station via a 5G communication network. LG Uplus conducted mine-clearing operations by controlling the excavator with a remote controller using the video transmitted via the 5G communication network from the remote control station in the indoor exhibition area.

Generally, for mine removal, a method is used in which the location of a mine is identified and marked using a metal detector, and then the ground around the marked area is dug deep using an excavator equipped with a sieve bucket capable of sifting through stones or soil, causing the soil to fall out and leaving only the mine in the sieve bucket. In the past, because excavators were operated by people inside the vehicle, accidents resulting in casualties occurred, such as anti-tank mines exploding inside the sieve bucket.

The 5G-based remote control system showcased by LG Uplus at this defense industry exhibition not only prevents casualties at mine clearing sites but also enables the safe use of heavy equipment in harsh industrial environments such as steel mills, waste disposal facilities, and building demolitions. In the future, it can also be utilized for mine clearing operations in the DMZ, the region with the highest mine density in the world.