KAIST

Exhibited 29 products that address the need to solve social issues such as a Braille printer

Students from the KAIST Idea Factory, a startup program for undergraduates operated by the Research Institute for Social Technology and Innovation (RISTI), hosted an exhibition presenting their research prototypes. The Idea Factory provides students with opportunities to try out new ideas and develop innovative technologies.

The exhibition was held at the Creative Learning building on campus on March 20, 2015. Students displayed 29 inventions, showcasing technologies to address important social issues. The exhibit included products and technologies developed by the students or already commercialized by small businesses such as a Braille printer, a hydrogen peroxide-oxygen respirator for vessel accidents, and an educational 3D printer. The small business exhibits included a removable additional power unit for wheelchairs, agricultural product anti-theft system, and security lighting.

KAIST also hosted a social technology innovation symposium in KAIST Institute Building on the same day. The theme of the symposium was the “Integration of Technological Innovation and Social Innovation – Social Technology Innovation.”

The key note speaker, Director Heung-Kyu Lee of RISTI, KAIST, presented a lecture on the topic, “The Meaning of Social Technology Innovation: System Change.” His talk was followed by Hyuk-Jin Choi of the Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency on “Social Economic Organizations of Korea and Social Technology,” and Jae-Sun Kim of The Grassroots on “Search for Social Innovation and Social Economy.”

The supervisor of the event, Director Lee said, “This exhibit focuses on technologies that could help the underprivileged. We will continue to support students’ ideas and small businesses’ endeavors to develop these technologies.”

KAIST established the Idea Factory in 2014 to assist KAIST students to commercialize creative and innovative ideas. The Idea Factory made a key contribution in commercializing the educational 3D printers last year.

Picture: A Braille Printer