My main research area is focused on wearable robots.
Especially, the ones that help people with complete paraplegia.
Correctly determining the human intention and robustly controlling the robot based on those information are of primary concerns.

  • CYBATHLON 2020: Powered Exoskeleton Race

A global competition for people with complete paraplegia accomplishing tasks while wearing exoskeletons.
Duties:

  • Made improvements and dealt with maintenance issues on the exoskeleton robot, WalkON 4, while keeping up with the tight competition schedule

  • Performed the complete assembly/disassembly of the entire robot during the process

  • Modified the foot module to make it fit more universally

  • Learned the field knowledge of how to properly design and build wearable robots

  • Obtained the hands-on knowledge of the interaction between the robot and the wearer

Outcome:

  • The team won the Gold and Bronze medal for the global competition

  • Three graduate students (including me) in the team won the "KAIST Global Leadership Award" in Challenge Division

  • J. Choi, K. Park, J. Park, [et al, including D. LEE], "The History and Future of the WalkON Suit: A Powered Exoskeleton for People With Disabilities," in IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine, 2021

  • Ground Impact Reduction from Distance Measurement for Wearable Robots

A researched focused on tuning the virtual stiffness and damping based on the foot-ground distance measurement to reduce the effect of ground impact during walking.
Duties:

  • Designed the ToF sensor module for enhanced performance

  • Integration of the module with the rehabilitation robot for people with incomplete paraplegia, Angel Legs M20

  • Conducted experiment to verify the validity of the proposed algorithm

  • Increased gait stability and the reduced vertical Ground Reaction Forces were confirmed

Distance Measurement for One Gait Cycle

Customized ToF Sensor Module

Concept of the Assistance

Module Integrated with the Robot

Experiment Results

Outcome:

  • D. LEE, J. Park, H. Choi, and K. Kong, "Preperceptive Control of Wearable Robots Against Ground Impact From Contactless Foot-Ground Distance Measurement", 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) - Under Review

  • D. LEE, J. Park, H. Choi, and K. Kong, "Pre-tuning of virtual spring and damper from ground scanning: Enhancing safety of wearable robots" - Work in Progress

  • Gait Analysis from Foot-Ground Distance Measurement

A more continuous and reliable gait analysis is attainable by measuring the foot-ground distance by applying PSAO and ADO.
Duties:

  • Searched for the best location and configuration of the sensor

  • Applied the PSAO and ADO to the obtained data

  • Conducted experiment to verify the validity of the method

Outcome:

  • D. LEE, H. Choi, and K. Kong, “Detection of Full Phases in a Gait Using Multi-Modal Sensor-Integrated Shoes”, The 30th ASME Annual Conference on Information Storage and Processing Systems (ISPS2021), Online, June 2021

  • Development of FSR-Crutch Module for Real-Time Walking Performance Evaluation

A wireless FSR-crutch module to assess the performance of assistance without distracting the gait.
Duties:

  • Developed a wireless module to determine the performance of the robot

  • Proposed the performance evaluation criteria

  • Conducted experiment to verify the validity of the module and the criteria applied

Outcome:

  • K. Park, D. LEE, and K. Kong, “Development of FSR-Crutch Module for Real-Time Evaluation of Walking Performance in the Rehabilitative Applications,”, Journal of Institute of Control Robotics and Systems (ICROS), Vol. 26, No. 10, pp. 856-862, 2020 (Domestic Journal)