PyeongChang Olympics to showcase advanced robots

SEOUL. KAZINFORM - The PyeongChang Winter Games will assign various kinds of robots to stadiums, airports and event venues to assist athletes and showcase the latest technology, the commerce ministry said Wednesday, according to Yonhap .

A total of 85 robots will be placed in venues to provide information on schedules, transportation and tourist attractions during the Olympics, which runs from Feb. 9-25, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said. The ministry said 11 kinds of robots will be used.

A walking humanoid robot developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) will bear the Olympic torch on Dec. 11 on a route near the institute in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul.

Speaking robots will provide information on event scheduling, places to go sightseeing and transportation in four languages -- Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese -- and paint robots will draw murals on the walls of stadiums during the games, it said.

Robotic vacuum cleaners, small autonomous delivery robots and fishing robots will be also utilized in venues located in three cities, Pyeongchang, Gangneung and Jeongseon.

KAIST professor Oh Jun-ho, who is in charge of the robot support team, will showcase his robotic staff at Seoul Dragon City hotel in central Seoul later in the day, the ministry said.