Taiwanese companies showcase robot dog developments at robotics show

Taipei, Aug. 19 (CNA) Taiwanese companies showcased their latest quadrupedal robot developments at Automation Taipei on Wednesday, highlighting applications ranging from infrastructure inspections to firefighting.

Swancor Robotech Co., a subsidiary of Swancor Holding Co., said it plans to launch a robot dog fully designed and developed in Taiwan, dubbed the "Taiwanese native dog," by mid-2027.

The company plans to begin local assembly by the end of this year and develop core technologies including the robot's "brain," control systems and joint modules, moving beyond its current role as an importer and distributor.

Swancor said its robot dogs can perform autonomous navigation, image recognition, voice commands and environmental sensing for applications including power facility and factory inspections. They can also climb stairs and overcome obstacles.

Swancor Chairman Jauyang Tsai (蔡朝陽) said the company estimates Taiwan's annual robot dog market at more than 3,000 units, worth NT$2 billion-NT$3 billion (US$62 million-US$93 million).

The government is also developing a domestic quadrupedal robot platform. The Industrial Technology Research Institute has worked with Compal Electronics, Inventec and Solomon Technology Corp. to develop robots for firefighting, security and infrastructure inspections.

Those developments were made possible thanks to a platform that allows domestic companies to test and replace key components, including motors, visual sensors and joints, to build a local robotics supply chain and combine Taiwan's hardware strengths with AI and software, the Ministry of Economic Affairs explained.