KAIST Professor Jimin Park and Dr. Inho Kim Receive MIT Technology Review 'Young Innovators Award'

KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 13th that Professor Jimin Park of the Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering and Dr. Inho Kim, a graduate of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (postdoctoral researcher at California Institute of Technology), received the 2024 ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ award from MIT Technology Review.

Professor Park Jimin, KAIST

‘MIT Technology Review’ is the world's oldest and most influential science and technology analysis magazine, founded in 1899 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. Since 1999, it has annually announced the ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ award recognizing young innovators under the age of 35. The school explained that this award is regarded as a dream for young researchers engaged in science and technology and an honor that receives global attention.

Professor Jimin Park is developing next-generation bio-interfaces that connect artificial materials and living organisms, conducting various advanced research such as digital healthcare and carbon-neutral compound manufacturing technologies utilizing these interfaces.

Professor Jimin Park said, “It is a great honor to be selected as a young innovator by MIT Technology Review, a symbol of innovation with a deep history. I will continue to develop next-generation interfaces that perfectly connect artificial materials and living organisms from the atomic level to the system level through challenging convergent research.”

Dr. Inho Kim, Graduate of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST

Dr. Inho Kim, who received his Ph.D. from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST in 2020, was awarded for his research conducted at KAIST. Dr. Kim recently succeeded in developing a new artificial muscle using composite fibers, which is evaluated as the most similar to human muscle reported in the scientific community so far, while producing 17 times stronger force.

Dr. Kim is conducting research applying artificial muscle fibers, which are lightweight, flexible, and become conductive during contraction allowing real-time feedback, to next-generation wearable assistive devices that can move more naturally like humans or animals.

Dr. Inho Kim said, “I aim to develop robots using base materials that can replace the currently expensive and heavy exoskeleton suits without using driving motors and rigid frames by utilizing new materials. This will significantly reduce costs and excel in customization, enabling cutting-edge technology currently accessible only to some people to be provided to those who need it most, such as children with cerebral palsy.”

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