SK unveils ‘namuhx’ robot brand to tap wellness tech market

(SK networks)

SK networks and its home appliance affiliate SK magic introduced their new robotic appliance brand “namuhx,” marking their official entry into the global robotics market. The brand was unveiled on Tuesday at a showcase event held at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort in Seoul.

Choi Sung-hwan, president of SK networks’ Business Division and executive advisor for namuhx, emphasized the brand‘s mission to provide integrated robotic wellness solutions. “We have not had a single solution that comprehensively manages wellness, which is closely tied to our quality of life, until now,” he said. “namuhx aims to deliver the ultimate wellness experience with a balance of innovation, practicality, and design.”

The debut product is a wellness robot resembling an air purifier, equipped with voice recognition and autonomous driving capabilities. Measuring 47cm in width and depth and 91cm in height, the device features a curved body, an LCD display, and a camera on its upper module. Activated by the phrase “Hey Namuh,” it responds to voice commands.

The product includes three key features: “Air Solution” for air purification, “Vital Sign Check” for health monitoring, and a conversational interface. Its standout capability lies in its mobility - it moves toward pollution sources to manage indoor air quality.

namuhx showed a clear advantage over traditional stationary air purifiers in performance tests. In an 85-square-meter apartment filled with high concentrations of fine dust and equipped with namuhx, the air was purified in 27 minutes compared to 59 minutes for the room with three stationary units.

The device also offers contactless health tracking. Given the command, “Check my vital signs” and a glance into the top camera, the robot analyzes and displays five biometric indicators - blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, stress index, and blood flow. Using facial color analysis via remote photoplethysmography, it provides results in just 10 seconds. Future updates will include BMI and blood sugar monitoring.

Although SK magic provided R&D support, SK networks has positioned namuhx as an independent brand. Renowned Korean artist Choi Young Wook, known for the “Moon Jar Karma Series,” designed the product.

Pre-orders will begin in June 2025, with an official launch in July. Pricing will be announced at the pre-order stage but is expected to be similar to or slightly below those for Samsung and LG’s upcoming robotic appliances.

namuhx is targeting global markets from its launch, nabbing a joint venture with a local partner in Malaysia that will bring the product to market by the end of the year. In the United States, SK is building both sales infrastructure and local production facilities while the company also plans to expand into Southeast Asia and Japan.