SK Intellix to develop AI wellness robot with dementia-prevention features

A personalized AI wellness service robot capable of helping prevent dementia may soon be on the way.

Wellness robots have so far offered air quality management, spatial security, vital sign monitoring and health consultation. The new initiative aims to upgrade those capabilities with AI-based mental health management focused on dementia prevention, as well as personalized wellness services.

SK Intellix, a subsidiary of SK Networks led by CEO Ahn Mu-in, recently signed an MOU with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to build a cooperative framework for AI wellness robotics.

Under the agreement, the two organizations will jointly develop software for AI-powered mental health and wellness services built on wellness robot platforms. They also plan to pilot the services before jointly pursuing government demonstration projects and national research and development initiatives.

SK Intellix operates the world's first wellness robot service business centered on Namu X, which it also provides as a developer-facing API research platform — an environment for software-to-software interaction. The setup allows researchers to validate and refine AI algorithms and wellness services in real service environments.

The company plans to commercialize AI-driven personalized mental health management services — including meditation and dementia prevention — while continuing to upgrade its existing wellness offerings. It also intends to jointly participate in government demonstration projects and national research initiatives, and to help build an industry-academia research ecosystem.

"Through joint research with KAIST, we will strengthen our competitiveness in wellness services using AI and robotics," said Kim Hyeong-jin, head of SK Intellix's Namu X business division, on Wednesday. "We will expand our services into diverse healthcare areas, including mental health."

Lee Eui-jin, chair of KAIST's School of AI Computing, said the agreement "created an opportunity to connect AI research with an actual wellness robotics platform," adding that research using real products and APIs "is expected to enhance the practical utility of AI technology."