ABB Robotics and Korean food company Pulmuone will explore AI-based automation to develop lab-grown seafood

ABB Robotics has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Seoul-based food processing company Pulmuone Co Ltd to develop automation solutions in the research and production of a novel range of lab grown seafood. Pulmuone, which owns multiple food brands such as Nasoya tofu products and Monterey Gourmet Foods, is developing a new generation of seafood products using cell cultivation.

The process of creating lab grown seafood involves separating cells from living fish and cultivating them. Under the scope of the agreement, ABB and Pulmuone will collaborate on several key areas of innovation in the development and future mass production of cell-cultured seafood. This includes the research and development of robotic automation to enhance the efficiency of production and prevent cross-contamination.

ABB will leverage its complete portfolio of automation solutions, including potential AI-based solutions, software, robots as well as automation expertise to develop cell-cultured seafood. While specific solutions are yet to be identified, some operations will still require human intervention, so ABB’s portfolio of collaborative robots (cobots) will likely play a key role in any future solutions. Cobots can be programmed to work safely alongside human operators without the need for conventional barriers.

ABB Robotics has previously worked extensively around the world providing solutions in industries such healthcare and life sciences, with many robots deployed in quality control labs. Much of the experience gained in these related applications will be directly relevant to future development work with Pulmuone.