Press Release

  • Corporate

Hankook subsidiary Model Solution signs agreement with Virnect for joint development of smart goggles

  • Innovative, advanced hardware development accelerates industrial AR market penetration
  • AR devices to be used in semiconductor, display, and bio industries
Hankook subsidiary Model Solution signs agreement with Virnect for joint development of smart goggles

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 16 July 2024 – Model Solution, a total hardware platform company and subsidiary of Hankook & Company Group has signed an agreement with the artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) technology company Virnect. The deal encompasses the joint research and development of smart googles at Model Solution’s facility in Bucheon, South Korea.

The two companies plan to develop, mass produce, and launch an AR device that can be worn like goggles for use in a wide range of industries including semiconductor, display, and bio. Model Solution will design, develop, and manufacture the necessary hardware. Virnect will develop applications for the product and will also design the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).

The resulting smart devices will incorporate innovative technologies from both companies. Expected benefits include cost savings, productivity improvements, and increased convenience for consumers as well as global enterprises operating large-scale facilities.

By collaborating with Virnect, Model Solution aims to strengthen its competitiveness in the global AR and XR market while applying the technology and know-how it has gained since 2021 through the development of industrial AR devices.

“This agreement with Virnect – a digital transformation (DX) partner with digital twin, artificial intelligence (AI), and extended reality (XR) solutions – is the starting point that will allow both companies to grow into AR-XR specialists capable of supplying both hardware and software,” said Model Solution CEO Byungil Woo. “We will introduce innovative devices targeting the global market as a result of this cooperation.”

Model Solution: customised solutions for AR, robotics and medical devices

Model Solution has gained recognition as an innovative hardware platform company and attracted over 1,000 partners worldwide. These include automaker Hyundai Motor Group, as well as technology powerhouses Google, Amazon, Samsung Electronics, and LG Electronics. Growth in recent years has been driven by excellence in smartphones, laptops, and other mobile communication devices. In addition, the company has set core strategic tasks in AR, robotics, and medical devices and continues to invest heavily in research and development.

Model Solution is developing the MS-AR20SE, a head-mounted industrial AR display product that is currently undergoing field tests at Hankook Tire & Technology’s plants in Geumsan, South Korea, and Tennessee, United States. The goal is to launch the product in South Korea in the second half of this year. The MS-AR20SE will be equipped with core functions necessary for industrial sites such as remote support and safety inspections. Furthermore, Model Solution is considering product enhancement using software from Virnect for the remote support application.

 

Caption:

From left: Byungil Woo, CEO of Model Solution, and Taejin Ha, CEO of Virnect, have signed a cooperation agreement.

Hankook Tire manufactures innovative, high-performance tyres for passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks, RVs, trucks, buses and motorsports. With five R&D centres and eight production facilities worldwide, Hankook continuously invests in research and development to offer the highest level of quality and driving satisfaction. The company employs around 20,000 people globally and sells products in over 160 countries. Hankook Tire has been the exclusive tyre supplier for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship since 2023. Leading car manufacturers rely on Hankook tyres for original equipment. More than 38 percent of global sales are generated in Europe.

Hankook’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg, Germany. At its European Technical Centre in Hanover, Germany and its manufacturing site in Rácalmás, Hungary, Hankook develops and produces bespoke tyre solutions for the European market.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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Hankook subsidiary Model Solution signs agreement with Virnect for joint development of smart goggles

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