Control System for Flexible Joint Robots

This technology is a robust control system that resolves robot singularity issues by converting Cartesian coordinates into rotational coordinates and estimates internal and external disturbances using a disturbance observer based on the dynamic model of flexible joints, reflecting them in the control input.

Conventional linear system-based disturbance observers suffer from performance fluctuations depending on robot movement, necessitating conservative design, and their operational range is limited due to control divergence when singularities occur within the workspace.

This technology utilizes a Jacobian transpose matrix to transform coordinate systems and designs a nonlinear disturbance observer that includes a determinant to eliminate inter-joint reaction forces, thereby achieving consistent control performance and singularity avoidance regardless of changes in robot posture. It can be applied to rehabilitation training, gait assistance, and medical/welfare services, maximizing the workspace and improving robot performance and efficiency by achieving high performance and stability across various fields.

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Key Features:

• A full flexible joint robot dynamics unit that receives control inputs and disturbances, and outputs a control output by multiplying the control input, which reflects the disturbances, by at least one determinant.
• A control input dimension conversion unit that receives the robot's control input and converts the Cartesian coordinate system of the control input into a rotational coordinate system.
• c2 is the distance between the end of the second link and its center of gravity, and is the angle of the second link in the Cartesian coordinate system.
• A disturbance observer that calculates estimated disturbances by estimating disturbances and reflects the estimated disturbances in the control input.

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This invention was developed with the support of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's technology development project for interoperable modular muscle-assist exosuits.

In-vehicle warning device that detects drowsy driving risk based on the blood flow velocity ratio between two sites

This technology is an in-vehicle hazard warning system consisting of a terminal unit that senses blood flow velocity via patches attached to the common carotid artery and the vertebral artery to calculate a risk index for determining the driver's sleep state, and a warning unit that generates alerts when a risk is detected.

Existing drowsy driving warning methods rely on external signals such as facial expressions or blinking, which often lead to malfunctions and make it difficult to provide tiered warnings based on physiological signals like cerebral blood flow changes.

By calculating a risk index based on the ratio of the two blood flow velocities and generating tiered warning signals according to the range of the risk index, this technology can be applied to in-vehicle driver monitoring systems to provide proactive, staged warnings for drowsy driving risks.

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Key Features:

• A patch unit consisting of a first patch attached to the user's common carotid artery to sense blood flow velocity and a second patch attached to the vertebral artery to sense blood flow velocity.
• A terminal unit that calculates a risk index using the first and second blood flow velocities and generates a warning signal if the index falls within a preset risk range.
• A warning unit that generates a warning control command to alert the user upon receiving a warning signal from the terminal unit.
• A risk index calculation module that determines the risk index based on the ratio of the first blood flow velocity to the second (or vice versa), and a warning signal generation module that produces tiered alerts for each risk range.

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Method for Determining the Injection Rate of Concrete Lubricating Layer Activators Using an Indoor-to-Field Correlation Model

This technology determines the optimal injection rate of lubricating layer activators by creating a viscosity change model through laboratory mortar viscosity tests and establishing an indoor-to-field correlation model based on actual field pressure measurements.

Relying on experience to determine the injection rate for activating the lubricating layer during concrete pumping often leads to inconsistent pumping efficiency and difficulties in applying laboratory experimental values to field conditions.

By calculating the injection rate required to meet target pressure changes using a viscosity change model and an indoor-to-field correlation model, this technology enables the quantitative determination of lubricating layer activator injection rates in concrete pumping processes.

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Key Features:

• Preparing mortar samples for laboratory testing and measuring viscosity at varying activator concentrations to acquire experimental data.
• Generating a viscosity change model by patterning the mortar's viscosity variations based on the activator concentration from the laboratory data.
• Acquiring field measurement data on pressure changes within the pipeline according to the activator injection rate through actual concrete pumping field tests.
• Plotting points where viscosity changes and pressure changes align on a coordinate plane to form an indoor-to-field correlation model and determine the final injection rate.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the development of prediction techniques to improve the pumping efficiency of lubricating layer activation systems.

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Salt-Resistant Marine Concrete Composition Containing Salt Adsorbents and Lithium Carbonate

This technology is a salt-resistant marine concrete composition that combines Portland cement, blast furnace slag, fly ash, and fine/coarse aggregates with an admixture containing a plasticizer, salt adsorbent, lithium carbonate, and corrosion inhibitor.

Concrete in marine environments is prone to steel reinforcement corrosion due to penetrating chloride ions, making it difficult to maintain long-term strength and water tightness while resisting salt damage.

This technology enhances the salt resistance and long-term durability of marine concrete structures by using a salt adsorbent to substitute and bind chloride ions, while lithium carbonate and corrosion inhibitors suppress corrosion.

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Key Features:

• Portland cement that hardens when mixed with water and contains calcium oxide, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide to provide strength.
• Blast furnace slag, which forms Friedel's salt to fix chloride ions upon hardening, and fly ash, which increases strength through pozzolanic reactions.
• An admixture that disperses particles in the mixture of Portland cement, blast furnace slag, and fly ash to provide fluidity.
• The admixture consists of a plasticizer, a salt adsorbent that substitutes chloride ions, lithium carbonate to enhance salt resistance, and a corrosion inhibitor.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education for the development of concrete mixed with admixtures to improve the salt-damage durability of reinforced concrete buildings in coastal areas.

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Concrete Washwater Recycling System Using Supersaturated Carbon Dioxide Reaction Solution for Neutralization

This technology is a concrete washwater recycling system consisting of a carbon dioxide supply unit, a micro-bubble generator that mixes CO2 with process water to create a supersaturated reaction solution, and a recycling treatment tank that collects and neutralizes washwater separated from surplus concrete.

Ready-mixed concrete washwater is highly alkaline, making it difficult to reuse directly, and there have been challenges in stably neutralizing it using carbon dioxide to convert it into a usable resource.

By using a micro-bubble generator to create a supersaturated carbon dioxide reaction solution that reacts with and neutralizes calcium hydroxide in the washwater, this technology allows the washwater to be recycled as mixing water for concrete production.

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Key Features:

• Carbon dioxide supply unit equipped with a flow control device for supplying carbon dioxide in a gaseous state
• Micro-bubble generator that mixes carbon dioxide with process water to dissolve it into a supersaturated carbon dioxide reaction solution and supplies it to the recycling treatment tank
• Washwater recycling treatment tank where washwater separated from surplus concrete is collected and neutralized by the supplied supersaturated reaction solution
• Agitation pumping unit that mixes and pressure-pumps carbon dioxide and process water, along with an expansion unit, a turbulent collision unit, and a micro-bubble generation unit

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education for the development of mineral carbonation techniques for construction waste using carbon dioxide micro-bubbles.

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Heat-storage pavement for black ice reduction using embedded phase-change material storage media

This technology is a pavement system designed with heat-storage capabilities by placing metal storage media filled with phase-change materials between the first and second pavement layers above the sub-base.

In winter, black ice often forms on road surfaces, posing significant accident risks, and existing pavement structures have struggled to store sufficient heat to effectively prevent surface freezing.

By utilizing alkane phase-change materials within the storage media that absorb and release heat through state changes based on temperature, this technology can be applied to road surfaces to reduce the formation of black ice on the second pavement layer.

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Key Features:

• A first pavement layer laid over the sub-base and a second pavement layer laid on top to form the road surface
• Metal storage media placed at regular intervals on the first pavement layer, featuring internal containment spaces
• Storage pipes consisting of a carbon nanotube-reinforced hard steel body, including closed ends, openings, and sealing components
• Phase-change materials filled within the storage media's containment spaces, composed of a mixture of tetradecane, tridecane, and pentadecane, which change state according to temperature

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HMD device for managing blood flow velocity using flickering black-and-white spot visual stimuli

This technology is a blood flow velocity management device consisting of a terminal unit that senses blood flow velocity at the common carotid artery and radial artery using attached patches and calculates the difference between the two, and an HMD unit that provides flickering black-and-white spot visual stimuli to minimize this difference.

Existing blood flow management methods have limitations in that they cannot directly improve imbalances between body parts through visual means, and they fail to optimize the brightness or flickering frequency of stimuli according to an individual's condition.

By varying the brightness and flickering frequency of black-and-white spots to find the optimal conditions that minimize the difference between the two peak blood flow velocities, this technology can be applied to wearable healthcare devices to improve blood flow imbalances through visual stimulation alone.

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Key Features:

• A patch unit consisting of a first patch attached to the user's common carotid artery to sense blood flow velocity and a second patch attached to the radial artery to sense blood flow velocity.
• A terminal unit that quantitatively calculates the difference between the first and second blood flow velocities received from the patch unit in real time.
• An HMD unit that provides visual stimuli corresponding to black-and-white spots flickering at a predetermined frequency to minimize the difference between the two blood flow velocities based on the calculated quantitative data.
• An HMD control unit that operates the HMD unit by varying the brightness and flickering frequency of the black-and-white spots to determine the optimal conditions that minimize the difference between the two peak blood flow velocities.

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Heat-Storage Asphalt Pavement Composition Using Sol-Gel Coated PCM-Impregnated Fine Aggregate

This technology relates to an asphalt pavement composition and its manufacturing method, which incorporates fine aggregate impregnated with phase change materials (PCM) and coated with a silica gel thin film via a sol-gel process, replacing a portion of the total fine aggregate.

Conventional asphalt pavements struggle to maintain consistent heat storage performance due to temperature fluctuations, and there have been challenges in stably containing phase change materials within aggregates to prevent leakage.

By impregnating activated carbon with phase change materials and sealing them within the aggregate using a silica gel thin film, this technology ensures that the pavement composition effectively provides heat storage performance without the risk of PCM leakage.

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Key Features:

• A composition containing fine aggregate where 60–80% by weight of the total fine aggregate is replaced with activated carbon fine aggregate impregnated with phase change materials and coated with a silica gel thin film.
• Fine aggregate manufactured by vacuum-impregnating 100 parts by volume of tetradecane phase change material with 80 parts by volume of porous activated carbon fine aggregate.
• Impregnated aggregate manufactured by allowing the PCM-impregnated fine aggregate to solidify at a temperature below its phase change point.
• A sol-gel coating layer consisting of a silica gel thin film formed on the surface of the fine aggregate under conditions of pH 3–4 for the sol solution and pH 7–8 during gelation.

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Driving Support Member for Snake-like Robots

This technology is a mechanical support frame structure that attaches to the lower module of a snake-like robot to increase its contact area with the ground. It includes a seating section, side extension supports, and side-wrapping supports to provide a mechanism that prevents tipping due to shifts in the center of gravity or lateral external forces when navigating slopes.

The issue of insufficient lateral support as snake-like robots increase in length. This leads to reduced driving stability due to a higher risk of tipping when navigating slopes or encountering lateral external forces.

This technology physically expands the ground contact area through an auxiliary member attached to the underside of the snake-like robot. By utilizing the front and rear protrusions of the seating section along with primary and secondary supports, it secures the distance of the support points relative to the center of gravity, thereby improving stability on slopes. It can be applied to logistics transport, service robots, and autonomous driving platforms, improving driving stability on inclines and allowing the snake-like robot to traverse steeper slopes without rolling over.

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Key Features:

• A driving support member for a snake-like robot that supports the robot's body seated within the seating section and assists with slope navigation.
• A second support section formed on both sides of the seating section to wrap around both sides of the seated snake-like robot body.
• A first support section extending from both sides of the seating section.
• A seating section where the snake-like robot body is mounted.

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for the development of search robot technology for confined spaces to detect victims in collapsed areas.

Needle-type microrobot

This technology is a microrobot system that includes a screw part driven by an external rotating magnetic field and a needle part coupled to a base part via an insert structure. Upon reaching the target, the protrusion length of the needle is adjusted through a mechanical groove-and-protrusion locking mechanism to ensure stable fixation.

In fluid environments, microrobots often drift from their target positions due to factors like blood flow. Preventing this typically requires continuous magnetic field control, which leads to reduced control efficiency and high computational loads.

This technology features a mechanical locking structure that houses the needle within the base during transit. Once the target is reached, the needle is extended and its length adjusted by engaging protrusions on the needle's outer surface with grooves inside the base, physically anchoring it to the target. Applicable to surgical robots, interventional systems, and medical automation, this design enhances drug delivery efficiency by increasing dosage capacity and providing an internal storage space within the microrobot.

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Key Features:

• A screw part including blades disposed on the side of the base and extending outward
• A needle part disposed at one end of the base that penetrates the target upon reaching the target area
• A coupling structure consisting of grooves on the inner surface of the base and protrusions on the needle
• A configuration where the grooves, in conjunction with the needle's protrusions, adjust the protrusion length of the needle

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for the Intelligent Microrobot-based Body-on-a-Chip for Precision Medicine project.

Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Ultra-Precision Manipulation Device

This technology is a 3-degree-of-freedom microsurgical manipulation and control system that utilizes multiple motors and a linkage structure to perform axial movement (distance/angle adjustment) and radial movement (precision targeting) of surgical instruments.

During retinal surgery, surgical instruments often enter at an acute angle rather than perpendicular to the retinal surface, which increases the risk of retinal damage and errors caused by hand tremors.

This technology implements 3-degree-of-freedom control using three motors. It calculates the coordinates of the surgical instrument tip relative to the target insertion point using angle sensors, a light source (for distance measurement), and an imaging unit to precisely calibrate position and angle. Applicable to surgical robots, interventional systems, and medical automation, it improves control precision and provides users with greater convenience when maneuvering surgical instruments.

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Key Features:

• Microsurgical manipulator featuring a first and second actuator housed within a casing
• A third actuator rotatably connected to the underside of the first and second actuators
• A surgical instrument connected to the lower part of the third actuator for approaching the target object
• Configuration where the first and second actuators move the surgical instrument axially, and the third actuator moves it radially

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Sensing and Actuation-Based Bimanual Ultra-Precision Surgery Platform project.

Wearable Blood Flow Velocity Management Device Using Auditory Stimulation

This technology is a blood flow velocity management device consisting of a terminal unit that senses blood flow velocity via patches attached to the common carotid artery and radial artery and calculates the difference between the two, and a headset unit that provides auditory stimulation to minimize this difference.

Existing blood flow management methods have limitations in that it is difficult to directly regulate imbalances in blood flow velocity between body parts using audiovisual stimulation, and they fail to optimize stimulation intensity or frequency according to an individual's condition.

By varying the intensity, frequency, and duration of auditory stimulation to identify the optimal conditions that minimize the difference between the two blood flow velocity peaks, this technology can be applied to wearable healthcare devices to improve blood flow velocity imbalances through auditory stimulation alone.

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Key Features:

• A patch unit consisting of a first patch attached to the user's common carotid artery to sense blood flow velocity at that site, and a second patch attached to the radial artery to sense blood flow velocity.
• A terminal unit that calculates the difference between the first and second blood flow velocities received from the patch unit in real-time and quantitatively.
• A headset unit that provides the user with auditory stimulation within the audible frequency range to minimize the difference between the two blood flow velocities based on the calculated quantitative data.
• A headset control unit that operates the headset by varying the intensity, frequency, and duration of the auditory stimulation to achieve the optimal conditions that minimize the difference between the two blood flow velocity peaks.

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Eco-friendly mortar using blast furnace slag fine aggregate and ready-mixed concrete wash water

This technology is an eco-friendly mortar composition that incorporates blast furnace slag fine aggregate into cement and natural fine aggregate, using mixing water containing solids obtained from ready-mixed concrete wash water.

Ready-mixed concrete wash water and blast furnace slag fine aggregate are industrial by-products that pose a significant disposal burden, and there have been difficulties in ensuring reactivity and strength when using them together.

This technology allows the solids from ready-mixed concrete wash water to accelerate the reactivity of the blast furnace slag fine aggregate, inducing densification and crystal formation. When applied to construction mortar, it enables the recycling of industrial by-products and enhances eco-friendliness.

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Key Features:

• Mortar composition containing 330–360 parts by weight of cement, 80–320 parts by weight of fine aggregate, and 160–180 parts by weight of mixing water
• Fine aggregate for mortar composed of 60–90 vol% natural fine aggregate and 10–40 vol% blast furnace slag fine aggregate
• Industrial by-product blast furnace slag fine aggregate with a particle size of 5 mm or less, a fineness modulus of 2.3–3.1, and a specific gravity of 2.5–2.8 g/cm³
• Mixing water that promotes reactivity by containing 5.0–10.0 wt% of solids obtained from ready-mixed concrete wash water, with a CaO content of 35 wt% or more

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Eco-friendly lightweight mortar using ready-mixed concrete wash water and a ternary binder

This technology is a lightweight mortar composition that utilizes a ternary binder—a mixture of cement, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, and fly ash—along with artificial lightweight fine aggregates and ready-mixed concrete wash water as mixing water.

Ready-mixed concrete wash water is typically discarded, creating a significant environmental burden, and there have been challenges in maintaining physical properties such as lightweight characteristics and strength when recycling it as mixing water.

By recycling ready-mixed concrete wash water as mixing water and ensuring performance through the use of a ternary binder and lightweight fine aggregates, this technology can be applied to architectural lightweight mortar to repurpose industrial byproducts and enhance environmental sustainability.

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Key Features:

• 330–360 parts by weight of a binder composed of 80 wt% cement, 5–15 wt% ground granulated blast-furnace slag, and 5–15 wt% fly ash
• 200–320 parts by weight of fine aggregate, containing at least 50 vol% artificial lightweight fine aggregate to provide lightweight properties
• 160–180 parts by weight of ready-mixed concrete wash water containing at least 35 wt% CaO and having a solids content of 7.5–10.0 wt%
• A lightweight mortar composition formulated to achieve a unit weight of less than 2,200 kg/m³ and a 28-day compressive strength of 45 MPa or higher

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Recycled Cold-Mix Asphalt Composition Using Industrial Waste such as Waste Glass and Sludge

This technology is a recycled cold-mix asphalt composition formulated with recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) aggregate, recycled concrete aggregate, waste glass powder, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, high-calcium fly ash, activated dried waste sludge powder, paper sludge incineration ash, and emulsified asphalt.

Conventional asphalt production requires heating, which leads to high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and it has been difficult to maintain material properties when incorporating various industrial wastes as aggregates.

By recycling various industrial wastes into aggregates and powders and mixing them at room temperature, this technology can be applied to road paving asphalt, effectively turning waste into resources and reducing energy consumption.

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Key Features:

• Aggregate containing 48–63 parts by weight of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) aggregate (8–30 mm particle size) and 6–14 parts by weight of recycled concrete aggregate (8–30 mm particle size)
• 10–20 parts by weight of waste glass powder (8 mm or less particle size), 1–15 parts by weight of ground granulated blast-furnace slag, and 1–15 parts by weight of high-calcium fly ash
• 1–5 parts by weight of dried waste sludge powder, which is dehydrated and dried to a moisture content of 50% or less, then calcined and activated at 650–750°C to contain CaO, SiO2, and Al2O3
• A composition mixed at room temperature, including acrylic resin-coated recycled concrete aggregate, emulsified asphalt, recycling additives, and water

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