SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Research from KAIST laboratories, from thin noise-blocking structures to a robot that clears obstacles out of its own path, goes on offer to manufacturers in Seoul this week as the university tries to move more of its lab work into products.
KAIST said Monday it will hold the 2026 KAIST Tech Fair on Tuesday, the opening day of the Korea Electronics Show at COEX. The Korea Electronics Association, which organizes the four-day show, expects 500 exhibitors and 70,000 visitors across two exhibition halls.
At the fair, six research teams will present technologies they want companies to license or develop further with them. Researchers will explain how each one works and which industries could use it, then take questions directly from corporate attendees.
Bae Choong-sik, a mechanical engineering professor, was named KAIST's 18th president in June, filling a post that had sat empty for 16 months. He has placed the commercialization effort under the banner "Beyond Laboratory."
"What KAIST means by 'Beyond Laboratory' is that outstanding research results do not stay in the lab but carry through to real value for industry and society," Bae said in a statement. He said he hoped the fair would connect KAIST's technology with what industry needs and lead to "concrete cooperation such as technology transfer and joint research."
The briefing runs Tuesday afternoon on the KES Stage in Hall B. Each presentation lasts 15 minutes, followed by five minutes of questions.
Most soundproofing works by adding weight and thickness. Jeon Won-ju, a professor of mechanical engineering, will present structures built to cut noise and vibration while staying thin and light.
Yoon Sung-eui, a professor in KAIST's School of Computing, will show a self-driving robot that uses its arm to push aside obstacles blocking its route and keeps moving.
Wireless chargers transfer power through magnetic coils, and the hardware adds weight to whatever carries it, from phones to electric vehicles. Lee Chang-woo, a researcher in Professor Jang In-gwun's lab at the Cho Chun Shik Graduate School of Mobility, will present a design method for charging components that are lighter and more efficient.
Yoo Hong-ki, also a mechanical engineering professor, developed an optical imaging technique that uses light to produce sharp three-dimensional images of the inside of tissue across a wider range of depths.
Kim San-ha, from the same department, will present an antibacterial metal filter that can be washed and reused many times rather than thrown away.
The sixth technology, from chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Kim Shin-hyun, is a material covered in microscopic dome-shaped structures that reflect light to display a range of colors and images.
Alongside the briefing, KAIST will run one-on-one sessions in the KES Lounge in Hall B. Companies that registered in advance will be matched with research teams to discuss adopting a technology, joint research and further development toward a commercial product.
Four startups founded by KAIST faculty will exhibit in a KAIST pavilion in Hall A for the full run of the show, through Oct. 16.
Daim Technology will show simulation software and control systems that coordinate many robots at once for unmanned factories. MilliTrack will present precise location tracking and spatial mapping for industrial sites.
A2US built its air and water purification products on a technique that uses electricity to spray water as an extremely fine mist. Hypergram pairs AI with hyperspectral imaging, which captures many bands of light beyond what the human eye or an ordinary camera can see. The combination lets factories spot contamination and surface defects that would otherwise go unnoticed.
The pavilion also lays out how KAIST takes research from discovery through patenting, licensing and startup formation. It is on the show's official VIP tour route.
Companies that want to attend the briefing or book a consultation can apply in advance through the website of KAIST's technology licensing office.
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