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Professor Haeng-Ki Lee appointed as "ICCES Distinguished Fellow"
Professor Haeng-Ki Lee
Professor Haeng-Ki Lee from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST has been appointed as “Distinguished Fellow” and has also received the “Outstanding Research Award” at the International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences (ICCES).
Founded in 1986, ICCES is regarded as one of the most prestigious international conferences in the field of computational mechanics and experimental engineering.
The Nominating Committee at ICCES recommends the appointment of a distinguished member who has made significant contributions to the development of computational mechanics and experimental engineering. Professor Lee was the first Korean who received such title. Furthermore, he was the recipient of the “Outstanding Research Award” presented by ICCES for his academic research on damage mechanics of complex systems.
Professor Lee is currently serving as the Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST and the Director of BK Plus Agency, a Korean government’s research program. He received an award from the Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning in 2013 for the promotion of science and technology.
2014.07.02 View 10237 -
A KAIST startup, YBrain, builds a wearable device to cure Alzheimer's
A group of KAIST graduates from the Departments of Bio and Brain Engineering, Computer Science, Materials Science Engineering, and Industrial Design created a startup called YBrain (http://ybrain.com/). YBrain develops a wearable neuroscience technology to treat or reduce the symptoms of degenerative brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Their recent technological developments were covered in e27, one of the leading blogs based in Singapore. The blog covers topics like the latest technology innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship in Asia. A news article follows below:
e27, June 24, 2014
“This wearable tech may be able to combat effects of Alzheimer’s”
http://e27.co/this-wearable-tech-may-be-able-combat-effects-of-alzheimers-20140624/
2014.06.25 View 10799 -
The First Demonstration of a Self-powered Cardiac Pacemaker
As the number of pacemakers implanted each year reaches into the millions worldwide, improving the lifespan of pacemaker batteries has been of great concern for developers and manufacturers. Currently, pacemaker batteries last seven years on average, requiring frequent replacements, which may pose patients to a potential risk involved in medical procedures.
A research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), headed by Professor Keon Jae Lee of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST and Professor Boyoung Joung, M.D. of the Division of Cardiology at Severance Hospital of Yonsei University, has developed a self-powered artificial cardiac pacemaker that is operated semi-permanently by a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator.
The artificial cardiac pacemaker is widely acknowledged as medical equipment that is integrated into the human body to regulate the heartbeats through electrical stimulation to contract the cardiac muscles of people who suffer from arrhythmia. However, repeated surgeries to replace pacemaker batteries have exposed elderly patients to health risks such as infections or severe bleeding during operations.
The team’s newly designed flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator directly stimulated a living rat’s heart using electrical energy converted from the small body movements of the rat. This technology could facilitate the use of self-powered flexible energy harvesters, not only prolonging the lifetime of cardiac pacemakers but also realizing real-time heart monitoring.
The research team fabricated high-performance flexible nanogenerators utilizing a bulk single-crystal PMN-PT thin film (iBULe Photonics). The harvested energy reached up to 8.2 V and 0.22 mA by bending and pushing motions, which were high enough values to directly stimulate the rat’s heart.
Professor Keon Jae Lee said:
“For clinical purposes, the current achievement will benefit the development of self-powered cardiac pacemakers as well as prevent heart attacks via the real-time diagnosis of heart arrhythmia. In addition, the flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator could also be utilized as an electrical source for various implantable medical devices.”
This research result was described in the April online issue of Advanced Materials (“Self-Powered Cardiac Pacemaker Enabled by Flexible Single Crystalline PMN-PT Piezoelectric Energy Harvester”: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201400562/abstract).
Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWYT2cU_Mog&feature=youtu.be
Picture Caption: A self-powered cardiac pacemaker is enabled by a flexible piezoelectric energy harvester.
2014.06.25 View 15696 -
KAIST doctoral student wins prize at 2014 International Military Science and Technology Fair
Min-Kyu Yoo (far left), a doctoral student in the Department of Materials Science Engineering, KAIST, received a silver prize at the 2014 International Military Science and Technology Fair held from May 29 to June 1, 2014 at KINTEX, Ilsan City, Korea.
Yoo presented a paper on aluminum composite materials that were reinforced by carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes reinforced aluminum composite materials have strong mechanical properties, and some nations have used them to manufacture battle tanks.
Aluminum generates hydrogen in an alkaline solution. Utilizing this property and the galvanic corrosion of carbon nanotubes and aluminums, Yoo developed a hydrogen energy system that is fueled with composite materials of carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum. He produced 5 kW electric power and maintained it 22 days using 10 kg of the composite materials for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell and its auxiliary power system.
Yoo’s research will alleviate the difficulty of transporting fuels during wartime and can be applied to the development of an auxiliary power system for next generation aircrafts and battle tanks.
2014.06.24 View 8085 -
Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee Attends World Economic Forum's Workshop
Sang Yup Lee, Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at KAIST was invited to attend the Technology Pioneer and Global Growth Company CEO Workshop hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on June 19-20, 2014 in San Francisco. During the workshop, Professor Lee joined a discussion on “disruptive technologies” as a panelist.
Currently serving for the evaluation committee that selects technology pioneers for the workshop, during the discussion, Professor Lee identified important issues facing humanity, analyzed the issues through forecasting, and presented converging disruptive technologies that provide solutions to the problems. He also shared the “ten emerging technologies” announced by the Global Agenda Council on Emerging Technologies, WEF and the Korean government’s technology innovation strategies adopted to achieve its economic development policy called creative economy.
2014.06.22 View 7790 -
First Instance of Negative Effects from Terahertz-Range Electromagnetic Waves
Professor Philhan Kim
Electromagnetic waves (EM-wave) in the terahertz range were widely regarded as the “dream wavelength” due to its perceived neutrality. Its application was also wider than X-rays. However, KAIST scientists have discovered negative effects from terahertz EM-waves.
Professor Philhan Kim of KAIST’s Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology and Dr. Young-wook Jeong of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) observed inflammation of animal skin tissue when exposed to terahertz EM-waves.
The results were published in the online edition of Optics Express (May 19, 20104).
Terahertz waves range from 0.1 to 10 terahertz and have a longer wavelength than visible or infrared light. Commonly used to see through objects like the X-ray, it was believed that the low energy of terahertz waves did not inflict any harm on the human body.
Despite being applied for security checks, next-generation wireless communications, and medical imaging technology, little research has been conducted in proving its safety and impact. Conventional research failed to predict the exact impact of terahertz waves on organic tissues as only artificially cultured cells were used.
The research team at KAERI developed a high power terahertz EM-wave generator that can be used on live organisms. A high power generator was necessary in applications such as biosensors and required up to 10 times greater power than currently used telecommunications EM-wave. Simultaneously, a KAIST research team developed a high speed, high resolution video-laser microscope that can distinguish cells within the organism.
The experiment exposed 30 minutes of terahertz EM-wave on genetically modified mice and found six times the normal number of inflammation cells in the skin tissue after six hours. It was the first instance where negative side effects of terahertz EM-wave were observed.
Professor Kim commented that “the research has set a standard for how we can use the terahertz EM-wave safely” and that “we will use this research to analyze and understand the effects of other EM-waves on organisms.”
2014.06.20 View 8730 -
KAIST's Center for Integrated Smart Sensors made a partnership with a Silicon Valley start-up
KAIST's Center for Integrated Smart Sensors (CISS) will implement a joint venture project with Dual Aperture, Inc., a leading digital camera provider based in Palo Alto, California. The two will work on the development of 3-D imaging technology.
CISS, headed by Professor Chong-Min Kyung of Electrical Engineering, KAIST, is dedicated to technological advancement by developing innovative devices, circuits, and smart sensors.
In its press release dated June 18, 2014, Dual Aperture, Inc. stated that “by combining top talents in engineering, the partnership will establish a groundbreaking smart sensor technology accessible on multiple platforms and devices.”
For details, a Fox news article follows below:
Dual Aperture, Inc., June 18, 2014
“Image technology leader and top research institute collaborate engineering resources to create world’s first-ever smart sensor technology”
http://www.fox14tv.com/story/25808022/dual-aperture-announces-joint-venture-with-kaists-center-for-integrated-smart-sensors
2014.06.19 View 8549 -
Professor Sang Ouk Kim Receives the "Scientist of the Month Award" from the Korean Government
Professor Sang Ouk Kim of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST, received the Scientist of the Month Award in June 2014 for his development of a fundamental technology that allows free control of the properties of carbon-based materials.
Since June 1997, the Korean government has awarded monthly one scientist working in industry, universities, or research institutions to recognize his or her research achievements, as well as to promote science and technology.
Professor Kim implemented a technique known as doping, which has been used in ordinary semiconductor processes, to demonstrate the physical properties of carbon-based materials. Carbon nanotubes, graphene, and other carbon materials have superior mechanical and electrical properties and are regarded as next-generation materials. However, difficulty in controlling their qualities has made applications in various devices unfavorable. The doping technique in semiconductor production is to artificially introduce impurities into an extremely pure semiconductor for the purpose of modulating its electrical properties.
Profess Kim doped elements like nitrogen and boron to enable minute control of the physical properties of carbon-based materials and applied the technique to development of organic solar cells, organic light-emitting devices, and flexible memory. He also increased the application range by using a self-assembly method to change freely the structure of carbon-based materials.
Professor Kim has published 53 papers in renowned journals such as Advanced Materials and Nanoletters. He was rewarded further by being invited to write a review paper for the 25th anniversary special edition for Advanced Materials.
2014.06.19 View 9275 -
KAIST studnets win 2014 Creative Vitamin Project Competition
A team of KAIST students have won the grand prize for the “2014 Creative Vitamin Project Competition” held on May 28, 2014 in Seoul. The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, National Information Society Agency, and Korea IT Convergence Technology Association. The Creative Vitamin Project is the Korean government’s initiative to grow the Korean economy and generate job creation by applying science and technology, information and communications technology in particular, to the existing industry and social issues.
The winners were Hyeong-Min Son, a student in the master’s program in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, KAIST and Su-Yeon Yoo, a Ph.D. student from the Graduate School of Information Security, KAIST.
Son and Yoo proposed a sustainable crop protection system using directional speakers. This technique not only efficiently protects crops from harmful animals, but also effectively guides the animals outside the farmland.
Kwang-Soo Jang, the Director of the National Information Society Agency, said, “This competition provides an opportunity to develop public consensus and interest in the Creative Vitamin Project. We hope that through the participation of all citizens, the project can become an instrument to realizing the creative economy.”
2014.06.18 View 9624 -
Professor Sung Yong Kim Appointed as Committee Member to Serve PICES
The Pacific International Council for the Exploration of the Sea: North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) is an intergovernmental organization, which was established in 1992 to promote and coordinate marine research in the North Pacific and adjacent areas. Currently, the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Russia, and Korea are members of the organization.
Professor Sung Yong Kim of Ocean Systems Engineering, KAIST, has been appointed to serve the Scientific and Technical Committees of PICES. He will begin his stint from July 1, 2014. During his assignment, Professor Kim will identify the need for observation of the North Pacific marine environment, develop observation methodology, and publish an annual report on the observation.
Professor Kim is an expert in marine physics and environmental fluids, with a focus on coastal circulation and dynamics, mesoscale and submesoscale eddies, integrated coastal ocean observing system, and statistical and dynamic data analysis.
2014.06.18 View 7574 -
Professor Sang-Ouk Kim's Research on Carbon Materials Featured in a Philippines Science News
The subject article said that Professor Sang-Ouk Kim of Materials Science Engineering at KAIST “developed a technique to change the nature of the next-generation carbon-based materials. His research has expanded the possibility of carbon-based materials to be used in clothes.”
For details, please refer to the article below:
Centrio Times, June 10, 2014
KAIST scientist develops color changing carbon materials that can be used in clothes
http://www.centriotimes.com/2014/06/kaist-scientist-develops-color-changing-carbon-materials-can-used-clothes.html.
2014.06.15 View 7423 -
Professor Ki Jun Jeong Selected As the Winner of the 'Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize'
Professor Ki Jun Jeong from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, has been selected as the winner of this year’s Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize.
Professor Jeong was invited to the 66th Japan Biotechnology and Bioengineering Society Conference scheduled in September 9th-11th, 2014, in Sapporo, Japan, where his award ceremony will be held.
The award is presented to Professor Jeong in recognition of his outstanding research on microbial-based production of antibodies and efficiency improvement.
The Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize is awarded annually by the Japan Biotechnology and Bioengineering Society to the researchers in Asia under the age of 45, who have achieved excellent research results in the field of bioengineering.
2014.06.14 View 8539