[MWC On-site] Award-Winning Native Company ‘Hyodol’ … Korean Startup Recognized Abroad

Startups participating in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) held in Barcelona, Spain, attracted attention by launching connected health services. Various health management services utilizing mobile devices are expected to be released.

According to KOTRA, which operates the integrated Korea Pavilion at MWC 2024 on the 28th (local time), the domestic startup Hyodol won an award at the MWC Glomo Awards. The Glomo Awards are prestigious ICT industry awards presented by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA). Awards are given in a total of six categories, including mobile digital devices, to about 20 companies.

KOTRA's Integrated Korea Pavilion showcasing Korean SMEs and startups at MWC 2024. Exhibition booths of other public institutions and local governments also unified their booth designs and Korea logos to enhance marketing effectiveness.
[Photo by KOTRA]

원본보기 아이콘

Hyodol won in the category of Best Mobile Innovation for Connected Health and Wellbeing. The company developed a solution that helps elderly people maintain a safe and independent life through health monitoring, emergency response, and providing emotional interaction using ChatGPT.

It received praise for helping manage and prevent geriatric diseases by offering dementia prevention through various cognitive enhancement programs and personalized health coaching services.

Kim Ji-hee, CEO of Hyodol, said, "Our AI-based care robot has been recognized in the global market," adding, "We will actively expand services to improve the quality of life and health of the elderly in the European and North American markets."

The domestic hearing aid startup MPWave introduced the application 'ClearSense Audio,' which overcomes the shortcomings of existing hearing aids. It is explained that users can clearly hear desired sounds even in noisy environments by using their own smartphones and regular earphones. Among overseas startups, Israel's Mika attracted attention by developing an AI-based decision-making system for early breast cancer screening.

원본보기 아이콘

A total of 64 Korean startups participated in this MWC, ranking second after the host country Spain (552 companies). As AI spans all industrial sectors, existing IT companies also introduced new products by incorporating AI technology.

SAIG, which provides smart device charging services, recently launched 'ThinkTalk,' capable of real-time interpretation in five languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. The company's original name was SIG, but it changed its name after adding AI technology to its business. A company representative explained, "ThinkTalk is tablet-sized and can be used for communication with foreigners at government offices, taxis, and other places," adding, "It enables simultaneous interpretation using AI voice recognition technology."

Hudson AI, participating in the event with support from SK Telecom, attracted attention by showcasing AI technology that naturally dubs foreign languages onto actors' mouths in video content. Shin Hyun-jin, CEO of the company, said, "European countries often dub movies and dramas in other languages," adding, "Most telecom companies participating in MWC operate IPTV businesses, so they showed interest in AI dubbing for content."

Kim Ji-hee, CEO of Hyodol, is explaining about the senior care AI robot. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

원본보기 아이콘

V-Cat, a startup that easily creates product advertisement videos using AI, reported, "Various company representatives from Huawei, Xiaomi, Suntory, and others looking to reduce marketing costs visited our booth."

Naviworks introduced 'MetaEyes,' an AI control platform utilizing digital twin technology. Through MetaEyes, it was possible to monitor urban situations such as traffic congestion and fires in real time and respond to emergencies.

BitSensing, which stands out in the autonomous driving field with its unique radar technology, also caught attention. Jung Jong-wook, director of BitSensing, said, "We improved accuracy by recognizing the position and movement speed of objects in four dimensions," adding, "We simplified the radar development process to reduce the time and cost until the final product is released."

BitSensing was selected as a finalist for the 4YFN Award, which chooses one outstanding startup. The final winner will receive a prize of 20,000 euros, free participation in next year's MWC, and an opportunity to give a speech.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.