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Naver 1784 building showcases human-robot interaction
Naver headquarters / Courtesy of Naver
By Pyo Kyung-min
By Pyo Kyung-min
Just one year after its opening, Naver's "test bed" continues to drive the evolution of the company's cutting-edge technology. Naver's sophomore office building, known as Naver 1784, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, embodies its commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological advancements with its test bed designation.
Named 1784 after its address at 178-4 Jeongja-dong, this choice also signifies a connection to the year 1784, marking the onset of the industrial revolution in the United Kingdom.
Distinguished as the world's first robot-friendly structure, 1784 began its construction in 2016, and was completed in July last year. With the visionary concept of a "tech convergence building," the edifice serves as both a contemporary workplace for Naver's workers, and a launchpad for the conglomerate's future growth engines, which include robotics, artificial intelligence and cloud services.
The entrance leads to the vast lobby, which instantly welcomes guests with its grey-toned, state-of-the-art ambiance. What immediately catches the visitors' eyes is the meticulously even-leveled flooring ― barely any sills or gaps can be found on the complex's ash-colored floor.
Rookie, Naver's operating robot, exits an elevator on its way to deliver a package to a worker. Courtesy of Naver
The flawless evenness of the flooring ensures the Rookies, Naver's operating robots, navigate the space without the risk of toppling over. These autonomous service robots created by Naver Labs offer its workforce a remarkable level of convenience. There are 110 of them currently in operation, and they are designed to deliver a wide range of desired items to workers, such as a simple cup of coffee to sizable parcel packages.
Standing at waist height, these robots can use elevators to transport themselves to desired floors. The elevator, named Roboport, is the world's first robot-only lift.
Throughout the building, visitors are treated to an array of prototype robots on the second floor. Among them is Ambidex, a two-armed robot designed to handle gentler tasks. Additionally, mapping robots and even drawing robots are displayed, surprising and delighting observers.
A Naver employee picks up a package from a Rookie robot. Courtesy of Naver
With the Rookies being the only robots put to practical use as of now, all robots are designed to transmit data from their sensors to ARC, a cloud-based system that serves as the central intelligence for the robots. The ARC renders a "digital twin," a mapping of the building's current internal structure to pinpoint each of the robot's locations. The system utilizes a local 5G network, so there's little to no lag.
The state-of-the-art atmosphere shifts to a softer one on the fourth floor of the building. Amongst all of the plants that decorate the space, there lies Naver Care, a facility that conducts AI-based physical exams and contactless health assessments for the corporation's workforce.
Naver Care, an AI-based health care institute inside Naver 1784 / Courtesy of Naver
An AI research institute in collaboration with KAIST is also located on the premises, driving advancements in the research of generative AI. D2SF, a dedicated space for start-up companies is present on the same floor, promoting the co-prosperity and mutual support.
Using the whole workplace as a test bed for technology, Naver's obsession to become the driving force of a new paradigm shift is apparent. Although widely acknowledged as a search engine, or the "Korean Google," Naver believes its research in robotics, AI and cloud services will consolidate its footing of setting the "new normal."
“The reason we are so into developing robots, despite our origins being a portal engine company, is that we are sure the robots will become a new kind of platform to fulfill our needs, just like how mobile devices have substituted PCs,” Naver PR manager Sohn Seo-hee said. “We are striving to lead the change.”