Suwon Special City Selected for '2026 AI Robot Demonstration Project (Service Sector)' Competition… Secures 100 Million Won in State Funds

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jeong Jun-seong] Suwon Special City announced on the 19th that it has been selected for the '2026 AI Robot Demonstration Project (Service Sector)' competition organized by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, securing 100 million won in state funds.

The city participated in the competition with the project 'Introduction of AI Autonomous Patrol Robots to Create Safe Parks for Suwon Citizens,' forming a consortium with EasyAI Co., Ltd. and Irob Robotics Co., Ltd.

The project involves introducing AI autonomous patrol robots at Hyowon Park to address safety blind spots within the park and create a park environment where citizens can feel at ease. The total project cost is 200 million won, comprising 100 million won in state funds, 20 million won in city funds, and 80 million won in private contributions.

The city plans to operate a demonstration of one quadruped walking-based AI autonomous patrol robot at Hyowon Park by the end of this year. The robot will patrol major walking paths, plazas, and areas around athletic facilities within the park, supporting safety management operations.

In addition, it will detect abnormal situations such as collapses, fires, assaults and fights, and facility damage in real time, and support rapid response by utilizing on-site announcement broadcasts and notification functions to relevant agencies.

Patrols will be reinforced with a focus on vulnerable nighttime hours and areas prone to complaints, to strengthen crime prevention and the emergency response system.

Based on the demonstration results, the city plans to continue operating the robot at Hyowon Park for three years even after the project ends. It also plans to review measures to expand the application to other parks by analyzing operational performance and the effects perceived by citizens.