Humanoids Are Coming: Hanyang University ERICA Ushering in the Era of Physical AI

Demonstrating Humanoids in Industrial Settings
BK21 Selection Spurs Creation of Physical AI Ecosystem

Hanyang University ERICA is taking the lead in the development of physical artificial intelligence (AI), including humanoid robots.

On January 30, Hanyang University ERICA announced that it has designated physical AI, including humanoid robots, as a core strategic field for the university and is accelerating the establishment of research organizations and demonstration infrastructure. The university aims to establish a comprehensive research system that spans research, demonstration, and industrialization in the field of physical AI by conducting long-term, specialized research on humanoid robots.

Professor Jae Kwon Han of the Department of Robotics, leading the AI Humanoid Robot Research Institute at Hanyang University ERICA, is taking a photo next to Airobot's humanoid robot "Ellis." Hanyang University

A humanoid robot is a compound word formed from "human" and "-oid," referring to a robot that resembles human form or characteristics and can perform human-like movements. Physical AI refers to technology that integrates AI with physical systems such as robots, manufacturing, and mobility, enabling perception, decision-making, and execution in real-world environments. As interest grows not only in software-centric AI but also in physical AI that creates value in physical spaces, humanoid robots are drawing attention as a core technology poised to drive structural changes across manufacturing, logistics, and service industries.

AI Humanoid Robot Laboratory Achieves Results in Industrial Settings

In May of last year, Hanyang University ERICA established the "AI Humanoid Robot Laboratory" centered on the Department of Robotics, focusing on physical AI research. The research team led by Professor Jaekwon Han of the Department of Robotics is conducting demonstration tests of the humanoid robot "Ellis," developed in collaboration with their spin-off company Aerobot, at manufacturing sites of companies such as HL Mando and Amorepacific. In addition, research and development of humanoid robots that can assist or replace human labor is being applied to industrial sites at shipyards, including HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries.

The university is also achieving results in the field of robotic hands, a core element of humanoid technology. The research team led by Professor Jihoon Bae of the Department of Robotics has demonstrated the precision control technology of robotic hands on the global stage. A demonstration video using Tesollo's DG-5F robotic hand, produced by the team, was recently featured on "IEEE Spectrum (Video Friday)," a renowned robotics media outlet.

Research at Hanyang University ERICA is also having a significant impact on the local ecosystem. The university is a key participant in the "Robot City Ansan" project, being promoted in collaboration with Ansan City, Gyeonggi Province, working to establish the Robot AI Integrated Cluster (RAITIC) and a robot vocational education center, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the local industrial base.

Thanks to these collaborative achievements, Hanyang University ERICA was selected as the top university in the Regional Development Contribution category at the "THE Asia Awards 2025." Choi Youngjin, Dean of the College of Engineering at Hanyang University ERICA, stated, "Research and talent development in AI humanoid robots is now a national imperative that cannot be delayed any longer. We will emerge as a leading university that encompasses research, demonstration, and industrialization in the field of physical AI, including humanoids."

Research students are dedicated to robot research in the laboratory of Professor Jae Kwon Han of the Department of Robotics at Hanyang University ERICA. Hanyang University

Unprecedented BK21 Selection... Strengthening Physical AI Research Capabilities

Building on these achievements, Hanyang University ERICA has emerged as a key hub in the field of physical AI. In September of last year, the "Physical AI Education and Research Group Centered on Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration" was additionally selected in the AI field of the "4th Stage Brain Korea (BK)21 Innovative Talent Development Project" promoted by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea, further expanding research on physical AI centered on humanoid robots. Seventeen education and research groups nationwide participated in this competition, but only two-including Hanyang University ERICA-were selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of educational and research capabilities and industry-academia collaboration systems.

This selection is considered unprecedented, achieved through securing a supplementary budget, highlighting the urgency and policy importance of nurturing high-level AI talent. As smart factories move beyond process automation toward autonomy, physical AI is gaining attention as a core technology supporting the transition to Industry 5.0. The government is also presenting the establishment of a physical AI-based industrial ecosystem as a national strategy, accelerating talent development and research efforts.

Hanyang University ERICA possesses a regional and industrial foundation and research environment aligned with these policy directions. As Ansan positions itself as a "robot city" fostering advanced robotics industries, the ERICA campus hosts a variety of companies and research institutes, providing excellent access to data and field sites necessary for collaborative and demonstration research. The university has both the industrial data and demonstration environment essential for physical AI research, and is one of the few in the country to operate both a Department of Robotics and a Department of Artificial Intelligence, which is considered a research strength.

In fact, the new education and research group includes the Department of Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Robotics, the School of Computer Science, and the School of ICT Convergence. By combining research capabilities in sensors, control, and hardware in robotics with AI technology, the university plans to advance its research. It will also leverage the robot test beds and educational platforms of the campus-based Korea Institute of Industrial Technology and the Robot Vocational Education Center to simultaneously pursue demonstration-focused research and education. Spreading research achievements to industrial sites is also a key task.

Annual Support of 800 Million Won to Build an Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration Ecosystem

Through the activities of this education and research group, Hanyang University ERICA will receive annual funding of approximately 800 million won for research and education until 2027. In the research sector, the university plans to conduct interdisciplinary research tailored to industrial demand, based on an industry-academia-research collaboration ecosystem. It will expand support for research infrastructure such as the on-campus AI Convergence Research Institute, and identify and address issues that need to be solved in the local community and industry.

Professors and researchers belonging to the Physical AI Education and Research Group at Hanyang University ERICA, which focuses on industry-academia-research collaboration, are taking a photo. Hanyang University

In addition, students participating in interdisciplinary research will receive research scholarships and support for international academic activities. Each graduate student will have the opportunity to participate in joint research and internships with 18 overseas universities and research institutes, including UCLA and MIT, at least once a year, to strengthen their global capabilities.

In the education sector, the university will expand hands-on education in collaboration with companies, and gradually increase the number of industry-academia cooperative courses and industry-linked problem-based learning (IC-PBL+M) types, in which industry experts directly participate in teaching and evaluation. To this end, new courses will be created using the acronym "ERICA" in English, covering next-generation AI (E), robotics (R), industrial manufacturing sites (I), core AI theory (C), and automobility (A).

To integrate education, research, and industry-academia collaboration into a single operational system, the university will directly link collaborative achievements to graduation requirements. It will operate internships that involve solving problems at corporate sites, and activate the G-Capstone system, which recognizes field-based achievements instead of theses as graduation requirements, thereby solidifying a system for training practical talent. The use of the phrase "centered on industry-academia-research collaboration" in the name of the education and research group reflects this approach.

The university is also pursuing cooperation with local governments. It plans to collaborate with Ansan City in connection with Gyeonggi Province's initiative to establish a second Physical AI Center, and to support the establishment of a local industrial physical AI base by attracting such centers to the campus. Through these efforts, the university aims to foster innovative talent to lead industrial transformation in the field of physical AI and enhance national competitiveness.

Kang Kyungtae, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the College of Software Convergence at Hanyang University ERICA and head of the education and research group, stated, "We will focus on nurturing talent and advancing research so that our country can become a global leader in the field of physical AI."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.