"‘IT One’ Concrete Surface Unevenness Robot"
"‘E-Soltec’ Modular Chamber and Other Innovation Awards"
"Support from the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) Pavilion"
 
[Daehan Economic Daily = Reporter Kim Min-su] Domestic SMEs, mid-sized companies, and venture businesses in the ConTech (Construction Technology) sector will make a strong presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, which will be held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 7 to 10 (local time). Not only is the number of participating companies increasing, but year by year, more construction technology companies are also receiving innovation awards.

According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which organizes CES, the scale of CES 2025 is expected to expand compared to the previous year, with around 4,500 companies from over 160 countries worldwide participating and approximately 140,000 visitors anticipated. From South Korea, about 800 companies, including major corporations and startups, plan to participate and showcase their innovative technologies to a global audience.

Amid participation from various industries, the prominence of small and medium-sized construction technology companies is rising. At CES 2024, companies like Gore Robotics, which developed a construction material transport robot, and Safeware, known for its smart fall-protection airbag, were recognized with innovation awards. For CES 2025, several companies have already secured innovation awards: IT One, a smart construction specialist; Chungcheong, a developer of unmanned automated construction robots; E-Soltec, which produces multipurpose modular chambers; and Deep Insight, specializing in 3D spatial data scanners. Additional innovation award announcements will continue until the conclusion of CES 2025.

IT One, in collaboration with POSCO E&C, won an Innovation Award for their jointly developed "Concrete Construction Joint Irregularity Generation Robot." This robot performs the task of creating irregularities on concrete surfaces between layers in thick concrete construction projects, such as dams, bridges, and high-rise building foundations. These irregularities enhance the bonding strength between concrete layers, replacing manual labor. The robot reduces work time by up to 85% compared to traditional methods and ensures worker safety by eliminating the risk of injuries caused by exposed rebar.

E-Soltec was selected for an Innovation Award for its "IT-based Multipurpose Modular Chamber," designed for rapid deployment during disasters. Developed over approximately three years through research and development (R&D) supported by the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA), the product was created in collaboration with partner institutions such as Sendory, the Korea Conformity Laboratories (KCL), and Hanbat University's Mountain Cooperation Group. In July of this year, it became the first product in its field to be registered as an innovative product with the Public Procurement Service in South Korea.

Deep Insight received an Innovation Award for its portable 3D spatial data scanner, DIMENVUE Pro. Designed to meet the needs of professionals in architecture, civil engineering, and construction, DIMENVUE Pro significantly reduces the time and cost required to generate high-density Point Cloud Data (PCD) for 3D blueprints. This advanced scanner combines high-spec LiDAR with high-resolution RGB sensors and onboard AI software to optimize the creation of 3D models.

The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), the only government-funded research institute dedicated to construction technology, is once again organizing the "KICT Pavilion" this year to support the participation of domestic construction technology startups. Last year, KICT established the KICT Pavilion within Eureka Park for the first time, aiming to assist startups in the smart construction technology sector in expanding into overseas markets.

This year, the KICT Pavilion will include participation from seven companies: △NeuroCircuit (One Pocket record-keeping app) △The Bio (air purification specialized lighting and 5th-generation advanced lighting technology) △Dear Architects Office (InnoCube modular architecture and self-maintenance app) △Story4U (Accident-Free Cube for monitoring micro-changes in structures at risk of collapse or tilting) △Woozza (international-standard rainfall measurement devices with debris protection features) △Chungcheong (unmanned automated construction robots for roadwork sites) △FormEase (formwork stress sensors for measuring and monitoring lateral pressure during concrete pouring).

Chungcheong received an Innovation Award for its unmanned automated construction robot designed for roadwork site facilities. This robot minimizes the need for manual labor and significantly reduces the risk of accidents caused by vehicle traffic during construction.

An industry official stated, "In the past, CES was considered unrelated to the construction industry, but seeing the recent Innovation Award-winning companies, we can feel that Korea's construction technology is also advancing."

Kim Min-soo, Reporter kms@