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World-Renowned Conductor Han-Na Chang Appointed as Visiting Distinguished Professor
< (From Left) Professor Joo Han Nam, President Kwang Hyung Lee, President and Vice President Students of KAIST Orchestra, Professor Han-Na Chang, Professor Hyeon-Jeong Suk >
"It is very meaningful to be able to share the joy of music with future science and technology leaders at KAIST and to explore the possibilities of a new field of performing arts hand-in-hand with AI." – Han-Na Chang, KAIST Visiting Distinguished Professor
KAIST announced on the 13th of November that it has appointed Han-Na Chang, a world-renowned conductor and musician who was formerly a cellist, as a Visiting Distinguished Professor at the Graduate School of Culture Technology (GSCT).
This appointment was pursued to expand the base of culture and arts within KAIST by inviting a world-class artist, and to lay the foundation for students to grow into creative and converged talents. Furthermore, it is expected to serve as an opportunity to share Professor Chang's experiences of challenge and achievement on the world stage, thereby delivering dreams and inspiration to the members of KAIST. Professor Han-Na Chang will share her 31 years of research as a musician and her stage experience through the 'Orchestra Master Class' (an open practical class where the conductor directly guides student performers on musical interpretation and collaboration through live performance). She will also conduct leadership special lectures for undergraduate and graduate students, sharing her vision for music and her philosophy on a conductor's leadership.
In particular, Professor Chang will participate in advising on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology necessary for orchestral performance through the Sumi Jo Center for Performing Arts Research at the Graduate School of Culture Technology, thereby suggesting a new research direction that explores the convergence of art and science and technology. The term of appointment is two years, starting from November 2025.
Professor Han-Na Chang stated, "It is very meaningful to be able to share the values of art, leadership, and collaboration with students at KAIST, the center of science and technology," adding, "It is a great joy and honor to contribute to the future science and technology leaders' development of artistic sensibility, creativity, and expressiveness through the joys and sorrows of music.
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee remarked, "The joining of Professor Han-Na Chang, who possesses both artistic insight and leadership as a world-renowned conductor, will be a great stimulus to the members of KAIST," and "We expect her to breathe new creative inspiration into the convergence of science and art."
Meanwhile, Professor Han-Na Chang garnered global attention at the age of 11 by winning the First Prize at the Fifth International Rostropovich Cello Competition for the youngest ever. After her career as a cellist on the international stage, she transitioned to conducting in 2007. She is currently recognized for her musical leadership and artistic vision by conducting world-leading orchestras such as the Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
<Professor Han-Na Chang Conducting an Orchestra>
For the reference, KAIST has two orchestras: the 'KAIST Orchestra', which is centered on undergraduate students, and the 'KAIST Art Orchestra', composed of graduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The KAIST Orchestra was founded in 1992 and currently has about 90 members. It holds regular concerts every May and November and has established itself as a representative on-campus arts organization voluntarily planned and operated by students. The KAIST Art Orchestra, founded in 2024, is a project-based performance group with approximately 50 members who perform for specific events or projects.
2025.11.13 View 1631 -
KAIST Develops Wearable Ultrasound Sensor Enabling Noninvasive Treatment Without Surgery
<(From Left) Professor Hyunjoo Jenny Lee, Dr.Sang-Mok Lee, Ph.D candidate Xiaojia Liang>
Conventional wearable ultrasound sensors have been limited by low power output and poor structural stability, making them unsuitable for high-resolution imaging or therapeutic applications. A KAIST research team has now overcome these challenges by developing a flexible ultrasound sensor with statically adjustable curvature. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for wearable medical devices that can capture precise, body-conforming images and perform noninvasive treatments using ultrasound energy.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on November 12 that a research team led by Professor Hyunjoo Jenny Lee from the School of Electrical Engineering developed a “flex-to-rigid (FTR)” capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) capable of transitioning freely between flexibility and rigidity using a semiconductor wafer process (MEMS).
The team incorporated a low-melting-point alloy (LMPA) inside the device. When an electric current is applied, the metal melts, allowing the structure to deform freely; upon cooling, it solidifies again, fixing the sensor into the desired curved shape.
Conventional polymer-membrane-based CMUTs have suffered from a low elastic modulus, resulting in insufficient acoustic power and blurred focal points during vibration. They have also lacked curvature control, limiting precise focusing on target regions.
Professor Lee’s team designed an FTR structure that combines a rigid silicon substrate with a flexible elastomer bridge, achieving both high output performance and mechanical flexibility. The embedded LMPA enables dynamic adjustment and fixation of the transducer’s shape by toggling between solid and liquid states through electrical control.
As a result, the new sensor can automatically focus ultrasound on a specific region according to its curvature—without requiring separate beamforming electronics—and maintains stable electrical and acoustic performance even after repeated bending.
The device’s acoustic output reaches the level of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU), which can gently stimulate tissues to induce therapeutic effects without causing damage. Experiments on animal models demonstrated that noninvasive spleen stimulation reduced inflammation and improved mobility in arthritis models.
In the future, the team plans to extend this technology to a two-dimensional (2D) array structure—arranging multiple sensors in a grid—to enable simultaneous high-resolution ultrasound imaging and therapeutic applications, paving the way for a new generation of smart medical systems.
Because the technology is compatible with semiconductor fabrication processes, it can be mass-produced and adapted for wearable and home-use ultrasound systems.
This study was conducted by Sang-Mok Lee, Xiaojia Liang (co–first authors), and their collaborators under the supervision of Professor Hyunjoo Jenny Lee. The results were published online on October 23 in npj Flexible Electronics (Impact Factor: 15.5).
Paper title: “Flexible ultrasound transducer array with statically adjustable curvature for anti-inflammatory treatment”DOI: [10.1038/s41528-025-00484-7]
The research was supported by the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program (Brain Science Convergence Research Program) of the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korea Medical Device Development Fund, a multi-ministerial R&D initiative.
2025.11.12 View 3235 -
Reborn as an Artificial Enzyme to Protect the Environment and Health
<(From left) Dr. Neetu Singh, Ph.D candidate Haneul Im, Dr. Seongyeon Kwon (IBS) (Back) Professor YunJung Baek>
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), which we consume, acts as an important coenzyme that helps food convert into energy within the body. Korean researchers have successfully created a new artificial enzyme for the first time in the world by combining this riboflavin (flavin) with metal, adding the metal's reaction-controlling ability to riboflavin's electron-transfer function. This technology is expected to operate more precisely and stably than natural enzymes, demonstrating potential for use in various fields such as energy production, environmental purification, and new drug development.
The research team led by Professor Yunjung Baek of KAIST Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with Dr. Seongyeon Kwon of the Institute for Basic Science, announced on the 11th of November that they have succeeded in synthesizing a new molecular system that allows flavin to bind with metal ions.
Until now, scientists have long been unable to realize "flavin combined with metal" because flavin has a structural limitation—a complex ring structure entangled with nitrogen and oxygen—which makes it difficult for a metal to selectively bind.
To overcome this limitation, the research team designed a binding site for the metal within the flavin at the molecular level and applied a metallochemical approach that precisely arranges the ligand structure that traps the metal.
Through this, they successfully and stably synthesized the flavin-metal complex by delicately controlling the electronic and spatial interactions around the metal.
This achievement is the first case that integrates flavin's inherent properties and metal's reactivity into a single system, opening up the possibility for the development of 'metal-based artificial enzymes' that finely tune chemical reactions.
Professor Yunjung Baek stated, "We have moved beyond the limitations of naturally occurring flavin and expanded a biomolecule into a new component of metallochemistry. This research suggests a new direction for the design of next-generation catalysts and energy conversion materials based on biomolecules."
This achievement, in which Dr. Neetu Singh and Ph.D candidate Haneul Im of KAIST Department of Chemistry participated as co-first authors, was published in the international journal Inorganic Chemistry, issued by the American Chemical Society (ACS), on November 5th. It was recognized for its creativity and completeness and was selected as the cover article. Furthermore, it was chosen as an ACS Editors’ Choice—a representative paper selected once a day from all 90+ journals published by ACS—acknowledging the importance of the research.
Article Title: Tautomerizable Flavin Ligands for Constructing Primary and Secondary Coordination Spheres, DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c03941
Author Information: Total 5 authors including Neetu Singh (KAIST, Co-first Author), Haneul Im (KAIST, Co-first Author), Seongyeon Kwon (IBS, Co-second Author), Dongwook Kim (IBS, Co-third Author), and Yunjung Baek (KAIST, Corresponding Author).
<Cover Article Selection Photo for Inorganic Chemistry, an International Academic Journal Published by the American Chemical Society>
This research was supported by the 'Excellent New Researcher' project of the Basic Research Program for Individuals funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the 'Materials and Components Development Program' supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
2025.11.11 View 1660 -
Unraveling the Secret of Cell Movement
<(From left) Professor Won Do Heo (KAIST), Postdoctoral Researcher Heeyoung Lee (KAIST, First Author), Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho (KAIST), Professor Kapsang Lee (Johns Hopkins University, USA), Dr. Sangkyu Lee (IBS), Dr. Dongsan Kim (LIBD), Dr. Yeaji Seo (Hulux) (Co-First Authors)>
Cell movement is an essential biological process, whether it's cancer cells metastasizing to other parts of the body or immune cells migrating to heal a wound. However, the principle by which cells autonomously determine their direction of movement without external stimuli has remained unknown until now.
Through this research, KAIST and an international joint research team have elucidated the principle by which cells decide their direction and move on their own, offering a crucial clue for identifying the causes of cancer metastasis and immune diseases and establishing new treatment strategies.
KAIST announced on the 10th of November that the research team led by Endowed Chair Professor Won Do Heo of the Department of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with the research team of Endowed Chair Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, and Professor Kapsang Lee's research team at Johns Hopkins University in the US, has for the first time in the world identified the 'autonomous driving mechanism' by which cells determine their direction of movement without external signals.
The research team developed a new imaging technique called 'INSPECT (INtracellular Separation of Protein Engineered Condensation Technique)' that allows direct visualization of how proteins interact within living cells. Using this technology, they revealed the principle of the cell's internal program for autonomously deciding its direction of movement.
The team newly analyzed the operation of the key proteins that regulate cell movement, the Rho family proteins (Rac1, Cdc42, RhoA). The results showed that these proteins do not merely divide the front and back of the cell, as previously theorized, but that the cell's decision to move straight or change direction depends on which protein it binds with.
The INSPECT technology artificially implements the phenomenon of 'phase separation,' where proteins, upon binding, naturally form segregated regions that do not mix well. This technique allows for the direct visualization of how proteins actually bind within the cell using a fluorescent signal.
<Figure 1. INSPECT: A technique for visualizing Intracellular Protein-Protein Interactions">
The research team used the proteins ferritin and the fluorescent protein DsRed to make the clusters, or 'condensates,' visible to the eye when proteins bind together like small droplets.
Using this technology, the team analyzed a total of 285 pairs of interactions by combining 15 types of Rho proteins with 19 types of binding proteins, confirming actual binding in 139 pairs. Specifically, they identified that the Cdc42–FMNL protein combination is the core circuit responsible for the cell's 'straight movement,' while the Rac1–ROCK protein combination is responsible for the cell's 'change of direction.'
The research team slightly modified a part of the Rac1 protein (the 37th amino acid), which is crucial for cell direction control, to prevent it from binding well with the 'steering wheel' protein, ROCK. As a result, the cells could not change direction and continued to move in a straight line.
In contrast, in normal cells, Rac1 and ROCK bind well, forming a structure called 'arc stress fiber' at the front of the cell. This fiber enables the cell to make near-perpendicular turns when changing direction.
Furthermore, in an experiment where the environment the cells were attached to was changed, normal cells adjusted their moving speed according to the surrounding environment, but the Rac1F37W cells (cells with a broken 'steering wheel') maintained the same speed regardless of environmental changes. This demonstrates that the Rac–ROCK protein axis subtly controls the cell's ability to recognize and adapt to its surrounding environment.
<Figure 2. Analysis of the Signaling Network through Screening of Protein Interactions that Bind to a Cell Migration-Controlling Protein>
Professor Won Do Heo stated, "This research reveals that cell movement is not a random motion but is precisely controlled by an intrinsic program created by the ensemble of Rho signaling proteins and cell migration-related proteins." He added, "The newly developed INSPECT technology is a powerful tool for visualizing intracellular protein interactions and will be broadly utilized to uncover the molecular mechanisms of various life phenomena and diseases, such as cancer metastasis and neuronal cell migration."
This research, in which Dr. Heeyoung Lee of KAIST, Dr. Sangkyu Lee (currently at IBS), Dr. Yeji Seo (currently at Hulux Co., Ltd.), and Dr. Dongsan Kim (currently at LIBD) participated as co-first authors, was published in Nature Communications on October 31st.
Journal Name: A Rho GTPase-effector ensemble governs cell migration behavior
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64635-0
The research was supported by the Samsung Future Technology Foundation and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
2025.11.10 View 2004 -
Professor Sang Yup Lee Selected as IETI 'Laureate Distinguished Fellow'
<Professor Sang Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering>
Professor Sang Yup Lee of KAIST Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been selected as a 'Laureate Distinguished Fellow,' the highest rank of fellow, by the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI).
Professor Lee is a globally renowned biotechnologist who has been leading research on the sustainable production of bio-based chemicals, and he received the 'ENI Award' in 2018. With this selection, he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world's top scholars, including recipients of the Nobel, Fields, and Turing Prizes.
IETI is an international academic organization established in Hong Kong in 2015 to promote innovation and international cooperation in the fields of engineering, technology, and science. Each year, the institute selects researchers with significant academic influence worldwide and appoints them into three grades: Laureate Distinguished Fellow, Distinguished Fellow, and Fellow. Professor Lee has been named to the most prestigious grade among these.
<IETI 2025 Fellow Selection Photo>
A total of 70 new fellows were selected in 2025. Among them, 14 individuals were named Laureate Distinguished Fellows, which includes recipients of top honors such as the Nobel, Fields, and Turing Prizes. Besides Professor Lee, this group includes Dudley Herschbach of Harvard University (Nobel Prize in Chemistry), Vint Cerf of Google (Turing Award), and Shigefumi Mori of Kyoto University (Fields Medal).
IETI stated that the selection process involved a rigorous five-step procedure: nomination, qualification review, document screening, expert voting, and final evaluation. It also expressed hope that the newly appointed fellows will demonstrate academic leadership in their respective research fields and contribute to global scientific and technological innovation and the promotion of international cooperation.
2025.11.10 View 2288 -
Automatic C to Rust Translation Technology Gains Global Attention for Accuracy Beyond AI
<(From Left) Professor Sukyoung Ryu, Researcher Jaemin Hong>
As the C language, which forms the basis of critical global software like operating systems, faces security limitations, KAIST's research team is pioneering core original technology research for the accurate automatic conversion to Rust to replace it. By proving the mathematical correctness of the conversion, a limitation of existing Artificial Intelligence (LLM) methods, and solving C language security issues through automatic conversion to Rust, they presented a new direction and vision for future software security research. This work has been selected as the cover story for CACM, the world's highest-authority academic journal, thereby demonstrating KAIST's global research leadership in the field of computer science.
KAIST announced on the 9th of November that the paper by Professor Sukyoung Ryu's research team (Programming Language Research Group) from the School of Computing was selected as the cover story for the November issue of CACM (Communications of the ACM), the highest authority academic journal published by ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), the world's largest computer society.
<Photo of the Paper Selected for the Cover of Communications of the ACM>
This paper comprehensively addresses the technology developed by Professor Sukyoung Ryu's research team for the automatic conversion of C language to Rust, and it received high acclaim from the international research community for presenting the technical vision and academic direction this research should pursue in the future.
The C language has been widely used in the industry since the 1970s, but its structural limitations have continuously caused severe bugs and security vulnerabilities. Rust, on the other hand, is a secure programming language developed since 2015, used in the development of operating systems and web browsers, and has the characteristic of being able to detect and prevent bugs before program execution.
The US White House recommended discontinuing the use of C language in a technology report released in February 2024, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) also explicitly stated that Rust is the core alternative for resolving C language security issues by promoting a project to develop technology for the automatic conversion of C code to Rust.
Professor Sukyoung Ryu's research team proactively raised the issues of C language safety and the importance of automatic conversion even before these movements began in earnest, and they have continuously developed core related technologies.
In May 2023, the research team presented the Mutex conversion technology (necessary for program synchronization) at ICSE (International Conference on Software Eng), the top authority conference in software engineering. In June 2024, they presented the Output Parameter conversion technology (used for result delivery) at PLDI (Programming Language Design and Implementation), the top conference in programming languages, and in October of the same year, they presented the Union conversion technology (for storing diverse data together) at ASE (Automated Software Eng), the representative conference in software automation.
These three studies are all "world-first" achievements presented at top-tier international academic conferences, successfully implementing automatic conversion technology for each feature with high completeness.
Since 2023, the research team has consistently published papers in CACM every year, establishing themselves as global leading researchers who consistently solve important and challenging problems worldwide.
This paper was published in CACM (Communications of the ACM) on October 24, with Dr. Jaemin Hong (Postdoctoral Research Fellow at KAIST Information and Electronics Research Institute) as the first author. ※Paper Title: Automatically Translating C to Rust, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3737696
Dr. Jaemin Hong stated, "The conversion technology we developed is an original technology based on programming language theory, and its biggest strength is that we can logically prove the 'correctness' of the conversion." He added, "While most research relies on Large Language Models (LLMs), our technology can mathematically guarantee the correctness of the conversion."
Dr. Hong is scheduled to be appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at UNIST starting in March 2025.
Furthermore, Professor Ryu's research team has four papers accepted for presentation at ASE 2025, the highest-authority conference in software engineering, including C→Rust conversion technology.
These papers, in addition to automatic conversion technology, cover various cutting-edge software engineering fields and are receiving high international acclaim. They include: technology to verify whether quantum computer programs operate correctly, 'WEST' technology that automatically checks the correctness of WebAssembly programs (technology for fast and efficient program execution on the web) and creates tests for them, and technology that automatically simplifies complex WebAssembly code to quickly find errors. Among these, the WEST paper received the Distinguished Paper Award.
This research was supported by the Leading Research Center/Mid-career Researcher Support Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), and Samsung Electronics.
2025.11.10 View 6896 -
IEEE President Professor Kramer Holds Special Lecture on Artificial Intelligence in the Electrical Engineering Department
Kathleen A. Kramer, President of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to electrical and electronic technology, visited our university on the 30th and delivered a special lecture under the theme, 'Drawing the Future of Artificial Intelligence Together.'
< IEEE Leadership and KAIST EE Meeting KITIS Director (Sung-Hyun Hong), KAIST EE Professors (Joonwoo Bae), (Ian Oakley), (Hye-Won Jeong), (Chang-Shik Choi), (Dong-Soo Han), Head of EE Department (Seunghyup Yoo), IEEE President (Kathleen A. Kramer), IEEE Senior Sales Director (Francis Staples), IEEE Regional Manager for APAC (Ira Tan), KAIST EE Professor (Hee-Jin Ahn), Head of Semiconductor System Engineering Department (Sung-Hwan Cho)>
Standing at the colloquium podium by invitation of the Department of Electrical Engineering (Head: Seung-Hyup Yoo), President Kramer emphasized based on IEEE's core vision, 'Advancing Technology for Humanity,' that "Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept of the distant future; it has become a technology that is transforming human lives at the center of innovation."
< Photo of IEEE President's KAIST EE Colloquium Lecture >
She further added, "Technology must advance with human values at its core, and AI based on ethics and inclusiveness can lead to true innovation," sharing her insights on the direction of AI development and the social responsibility of technology.
Seung-Hyup Yoo, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, stated, "We expect President Kramer's visit to be a stepping stone that will not only widely promote our department's capabilities in advanced fields such as AI, semiconductors, signal processing, and robotics to the international academic community but also strengthen cooperation in various ways."
< Tea Meeting with the IEEE Leadership and the Vice Presidents . KITIS Director (Sung-Hyun Hong), IEEE Senior Sales Director (Francis Staples), IEEE President (Kathleen A. Kramer), KAIST Executive Vice President for Research (Sang Yup Lee), Head of EE Department (Seunghyup Yoo), IEEE Regional Manager for APAC (Ira Tan)>
Meanwhile, prior to the lecture, President Kramer paid a courtesy visit to Sang-Yup Lee, KAIST Executive Vice President for Research, and reaffirmed the commitment of both organizations to advancing sustainable technology and building an ethical and inclusive research ecosystem to contribute to a better life for humanity.
2025.11.06 View 1658 -
Battery Tackling Fire Hazard, Volume, and Weight Simultaneously
<(From Left) Professor Hye Ryung Byon, Ph.D candidate Rak Hyeon Choi, Professor Chang Yun Son>
Lithium-metal batteries are garnering attention as the next-generation high-energy battery set to replace existing lithium-ion batteries. However, commercialization has been difficult due to the high fire risk associated with using flammable liquid electrolytes. As an alternative to solve this, 'organic solid electrolytes' with flexibility were proposed, but their slow lithium-ion transfer rate at room temperature limited their practical application. Korean researchers have succeeded in developing a solid electrolyte that enhances lithium-ion mobility by 100 times and operates at room temperature.
KAIST announced on November 4th that a research team led by Professor Hye Ryung Byon from KAIST Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with Professor Chang Yun Son's team from Seoul National University, has developed a new organic solid electrolyte film that operates stably even at room temperature.
The research team fabricated a solid electrolyte about 1/5 the thickness of a human hair using a new material called 'Covalent Organic Framework (COF)', which has a porous structure with uniformly arranged holes.
The developed COF electrolyte features a porous crystalline structure similar to the Metal Organic Framework (MOF), which won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, but with significantly enhanced chemical stability in the battery operating environment.
The team meticulously arranged lithium-ion transporting functional groups at regular intervals, designing the structure so that lithium ions, which previously only moved at high temperatures, could rapidly move along these functional groups even at room temperature. This implemented a solid electrolyte structure where the lithium-ion migration path can be precisely controlled at the molecular level.
Specifically, the research team introduced a 'dual sulfonated functional group' into the nanopores to facilitate the easy detachment (dissociation) and movement of lithium ions, creating a channel that allows lithium ions to move rapidly along the shortest linear path. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed that this structure lowers the energy required for lithium ion movement, enabling fast migration with less energy and stable operation even at room temperature.
The fabricated electrolyte film is made via a 'Self-assembly' method, resulting in a very smooth surface and uniform structure. Consequently, it adheres perfectly to the lithium metal electrode, allowing ions to move more stably when traveling between electrodes.
<Figure 1. Synthesis process and structural/electrochemical properties of ultrathin covalent organic framework (COF) films according to thickness.(a) Synthesis process of ultrathin COF solid electrolyte, (b) Changes in thickness and surface roughness of COF films according to monomer concentration,(c) Changes in crystallinity of COF solid electrolytes with variations in morphology and thickness, (d) Ionic conductivity characteristics of COF solid electrolytes depending on morphology and thickness,(e) Rate capability of lithium metal–lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries, (f) Cycle life characteristics of lithium metal–lithium iron phosphate batteries >
As a result, the developed electrolyte showed a lithium-ion migration speed 10 to 100 times faster than conventional organic solid electrolytes. When applied to a lithium-iron phosphate battery based on lithium metal, it maintained over 95% of its initial capacity even after 300 charge/discharge cycles, demonstrating high stability with almost no energy loss (Coulombic efficiency of 99.999%).
<Figure 2. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis of the lithium-ion conduction mechanism in the COF solid electrolyte. (a) Lithium-ion (turquoise spheres) conduction pathways through two distinct ionic conduction subchannels within the COF, (b) Two-dimensional free energy landscape of each migration pathway obtained from metadynamics simulations >
Professor Hye Ryung Byon stated, "This research represents a step forward in the commercialization of lithium-metal batteries by realizing an organic solid electrolyte capable of fast lithium-ion migration even at room temperature," adding, "Combining it in a hybrid form with inorganic solid electrolytes could improve interfacial stability issues."
The first author of this research is Rak Hyeon Choi, a graduate student in the KAIST Chemistry Department, and the results were published in the international journal Advanced Energy Materials (October 5, 2025 issue).
Paper Title: Room-Temperature Single Li⁺ Ion Conducting Organic Solid-State Electrolyte with 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ Conductivity for Lithium Metal Batteries, DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202504143
This achievement was supported by LG Energy Solution and KAIST's Frontier Research Laboratory (FRL), as well as the National Research Fou
2025.11.05 View 1778 -
KAIST Develops Room-Temperature 3D Printing Technology for ‘Electronic Eyes’—Miniaturized Infrared Sensors
<(From Left) Professor Ji Tae Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Soong Ju Oh of Korea University and Professor Tianshuo Zhao of the University of Hong Kong>
The “electronic eyes” technology that can recognize objects even in darkness has taken a step forward. Infrared sensors, which act as the “seeing” component in devices such as LiDAR for autonomous vehicles, 3D face recognition systems in smartphones, and wearable healthcare devices, are regarded as key components in next-generation electronics. Now, a research team at KAIST and their collaborators have developed the world’s first room-temperature 3D printing technology that can fabricate miniature infrared sensors in any desired shape and size.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 3rd of November that the research team led by Professor Ji Tae Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Soong Ju Oh of Korea University and Professor Tianshuo Zhao of the University of Hong Kong, has developed a 3D printing technique capable of fabricating ultra-small infrared sensors—smaller than 10 micrometers (µm)—in customized shapes and sizes at room temperature.
Infrared sensors convert invisible infrared signals into electrical signals and serve as essential components in realizing future electronic technologies such as robotic vision. Accordingly, miniaturization, weight reduction, and flexible form-factor design have become increasingly important.
Conventional semiconductor fabrication processes were well suited for mass production but struggled to adapt flexibly to rapidly changing technological demands. They also required high-temperature processing, which limited material choices and consumed large amounts of energy.
To overcome these challenges, the research team developed an ultra-precise 3D printing process that uses metal, semiconductor, and insulator materials in the form of liquid nanocrystal inks, stacking them layer by layer within a single printing platform.
This method enables direct fabrication of core components of infrared sensors at room temperature, allowing for the realization of customized miniature sensors of various shapes and sizes.
Particularly, the researchers achieved excellent electrical performance without the need for high-temperature annealing by applying a “ligand-exchange” process, where insulating molecules on the surface of nanoparticles are replaced with conductive ones.
As a result, the team successfully fabricated ultra-small infrared sensors measuring less than one-tenth the thickness of a human hair (under 10 µm).
<Figure 1. 3D printing of infrared sensors.a. Room-temperature printing process for the electrodes and photoactive layer that make up the infrared sensor.b. Structure and chemical composition of the printed infrared microsensor. c.Printed infrared sensor micropixel array.>
Professor Ji Tae Kim commented, “The developed 3D printing technology not only advances the miniaturization and lightweight design of infrared sensors but also paves the way for the creation of innovative new form-factor products that were previously unimaginable. Moreover, by reducing the massive energy consumption associated with high-temperature processes, this approach can lower production costs and enable eco-friendly manufacturing—contributing to the sustainable development of the infrared sensor industry.”
The research results were published online in Nature Communications on October 16, 2025, under the title “Ligand-exchange-assisted printing of colloidal nanocrystals to enable all-printed sub-micron optoelectronics” (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64596-4).
This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea through the Excellent Young Researcher Program (RS−2025−00556379), the National Strategic Technology Material Development Program (RS−2024−00407084), and the International Cooperation Research Program for Original Technology Development (RS−2024−00438059).
2025.11.03 View 5028 -
KAIST Welcomes NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s Cooperation Initiative “Strengthening Collaboration in AI and Robotics Innovation”
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced its strong support for the meeting between Korean President Jae-myung Lee and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang on October 31, where both sides discussed strategies to advance Korea’s AI ecosystem.
KAIST stated that the meeting marks “a significant turning point for Korea’s AI innovation and global cooperation.” During the discussion, NVIDIA, a global leader in artificial intelligence, explored partnership opportunities with the Korean government to realize its vision of becoming one of the “Top Three AI Nations” and achieving an “AI-based Society.”
NVIDIA also unveiled plans to expand Korea’s AI computing infrastructure by introducing more than 260,000 of its latest GPUs, while strengthening technology cooperation to meet both public and private sector AI demand.
The meeting covered a wide range of potential collaborations, including:
Building advanced AI infrastructure, joint research and technology cooperation in physical AI (AI in robotics, autonomous systems, and manufacturing), and
expanding AI talent development and startup support programs.
At the APEC CEO Summit, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said, “NVIDIA’s goal is not only to provide hardware to Korea, but to help build a sustainable AI ecosystem. And we will work closely with AI researchers in Korea universities, amazing university like KAIST, startups, the government, and research institutions to become the AI Frontier.”
He further emphasized that, “The evolution of AI will inevitably converge with robotics. Realizing autonomous robots and robotic factories that can work alongside humans represents the next stage and ultimate goal of AI technology.”
As Korea’s leading AI research institution, KAIST has long collaborated with government and industry partners in key areas such as AI semiconductors, autonomous driving, robotics, digital twins, and quantum computing.
Building on this dialogue, KAIST plans to further strengthen its partnership with NVIDIA and major domestic industries through next-generation AI semiconductor and HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) research, physical AI applications in robotics and autonomous systems, hands-on AI education and talent development, and global open innovation through academia–industry joint research.
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee stated: “AI is the core driver of national competitiveness. Jensen Huang’s visit represents a symbolic milestone as Korea emerges as a global leader in AI.” He added: “Huang’s vision of integrating AI and robotics aligns perfectly with KAIST’s research direction. KAIST will continue to work closely with NVIDIA to build an AI innovation ecosystem that benefits humanity.”
Following CEO Huang’s proposal, KAIST will further concretize its collaboration with NVIDIA and expand partnerships with both global enterprises and domestic industries.
Through these efforts, KAIST aims to advance AI research clusters, develop next-generation AI computing platforms, nurture AI professionals, and foster a vibrant startup ecosystem, contributing continuously to Korea’s global AI competitiveness.
2025.11.03 View 2347 -
KAIST Researchers Uncover Critical Security Flaws in Global Mobile Networks
Breakthrough Discovery Reveals How Attackers Can Remotely Manipulate User Data Without Physical Proximity
DAEJEON, South Korea — In an era when recent cyberattacks on major telecommunications providers have highlighted the fragility of mobile security, researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have identified a class of previously unknown vulnerabilities that could allow remote attackers to compromise cellular networks serving billions of users worldwide.
The research team, led by Professor Yongdae Kim of KAIST's School of Electrical Engineering, discovered that unauthorized attackers could remotely manipulate internal user information in LTE core networks — the central infrastructure that manages authentication, internet connectivity, and data transmission for mobile devices and IoT equipment.
The findings, presented at the 32nd ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security in Taipei, Taiwan, earned the team a Distinguished Paper Award, one of only 30 such honors selected from approximately 2,400 submissions to one of the field's most prestigious venues.
A New Class of Vulnerability
The vulnerability class, which the researchers termed "Context Integrity Violation" (CIV), represents a fundamental breach of a basic security principle: unauthenticated messages should not alter internal system states. While previous security research has primarily focused on "downlink" attacks — where networks compromise devices — this study examined the less-scrutinized "uplink" security, where devices can attack core networks.
"The problem stems from gaps in the 3GPP standards," Professor Kim explained, referring to the international body that establishes operational rules for mobile networks. "While the standards prohibit processing messages that fail authentication, they lack clear guidance on handling messages that bypass authentication procedures entirely."
The team developed CITesting, the world's first systematic tool for detecting these vulnerabilities, capable of examining between 2,802 and 4,626 test cases — a vast expansion from the 31 cases covered by the only previous comparable research tool, LTEFuzz.
Widespread Impact Confirmed
Testing four major LTE core network implementations — both open-source and commercial systems — revealed that all contained CIV vulnerabilities. The results showed:
Open5GS: 2,354 detections, 29 unique vulnerabilities
srsRAN: 2,604 detections, 22 unique vulnerabilities
Amarisoft: 672 detections, 16 unique vulnerabilities
Nokia: 2,523 detections, 59 unique vulnerabilities
The research team demonstrated three critical attack scenarios: denial of service by corrupting network information to block reconnection; IMSI exposure by forcing devices to retransmit user identification numbers in plaintext; and location tracking by capturing signals during reconnection attempts.
Unlike traditional attacks requiring fake base stations or signal interference near victims, these attacks work remotely through legitimate base stations, affecting anyone within the same MME (Mobility Management Entity) coverage area as the attacker — potentially spanning entire metropolitan regions.
Industry Response and Future Implications
Following responsible disclosure protocols, the research team notified affected vendors. Amarisoft deployed patches, and Open5GS integrated the team's fixes into its official repository. Nokia, however, stated it would not issue patches, asserting compliance with 3GPP standards and declining to comment on whether telecommunications companies currently use the affected equipment.
"Uplink security has been relatively neglected due to testing difficulties, implementation diversity, and regulatory constraints," Professor Kim noted. "Context integrity violations can pose serious security risks."
The research team, which included KAIST doctoral students Mincheol Son and Kwangmin Kim as co-first authors, along with Beomseok Oh and Professor CheolJun Park of Kyung Hee University, plans to extend their validation to 5G and private 5G environments. The tools could prove particularly critical for industrial and infrastructure networks, where breaches could have consequences ranging from communication disruption to exposure of sensitive military or corporate data.
The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT through the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation, as part of a project developing security technologies for 5G private networks.
With mobile networks forming the backbone of modern digital infrastructure, the discovery underscores the ongoing challenge of securing systems designed in an era when such sophisticated attacks were barely conceivable — and the urgent need for updated standards to address them.
2025.11.03 View 3091 -
Failure in the AI Era? The 3rd Failure Conference Held
< 2025 Failure Conference Poster >
KAIST announced on the 31st of October that it will be holding the '3rd Failure Conference' from Wednesday, November 5th to Friday, November 14th. The event is organized by the KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure (Director Sungho Jo), and, under the theme 'AI times Failure,' it will re-examine the value of humaneness through the sensibility of 'failure' in this era of great transformation led by AI technology.
Composed of lectures, competitions, exhibitions, and networking programs, this conference provides a venue for new introspection on the relationship between humanity, society, and technology through the lens of 'failure.'
Failure Seminar 'AI Era, Asking the Way of Humanity' will be held on November 6th at the Jeong Geun-mo Conference Hall in the Academic and Cultural Complex
Professor Juho Kim of the KAIST School of Computing will discuss the human sensibility and resilience needed in the AI era through the paradox that "AI learns how to fail less, but humans are losing the opportunity to fail. Following this, Professor Sang Wook Lee of the Hanyang University Department of Philosophy will present philosophical and ethical challenges and practical directions for the advancement of AI technology to lead to universal welfare for humanity. The 'AI times Failure Idea Contest' Finals will take place on November 7th at the John Hanner Hall in the Academic and Cultural Complex. 12 teams, selected from preliminaries that included 111 teams from universities and graduate schools nationwide, will demonstrate their ideas in booth form on the theme of 'The Future where AI and Humans Coexist.' Participants will explore AI errors, human limitations, and the possibility of trust and recovery, presenting attempts to convert technological failure into human introspection, and human failure into technological possibility. On the day of the finals, the Grand Prize (KAIST President’s Award), First Prize, and Second Prize will be selected through judging.
The Photography Exhibition '404: Perfection Not Found' will be held on the 1st floor of the Creative Learning Building from November 5th to 14th. This exhibition showcases 'Scenes of Imperfection' captured by KAIST members through the PhotoVoice program and the AI times Failure Snapshot Challenge. It is divided into three sections: ▲ Brain that Mimics Perfection: Failure of AI ▲ Incomplete Connection: Portrait of the Digital Generation ▲ Aesthetics of Imperfection: Warmth of Humanity, providing a space for introspection that illuminates human responsibility and potential through technological failure. The 'Show Off Your Failed Project Contest,' which has garnered great response from KAIST students every year, will be expanded to include general public participation on the 5th at the John Hanner Hall in the Academic and Cultural Complex. Co-planned by the KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure and the student club ICISTS, participants will decorate their own booths with photos and videos to share their failures and the process of overcoming them. Awards such as ▲ Best (Most Votes) ▲ Shining Debris Award (Highly Relatable Failure Story) ▲ Flower of Ash Award (Overcoming Story) ▲ Aesthetics of Failure Award (Creative Expression) ▲ Beautiful Afterimage Award (Sincere Lingering Impression) will be selected through audience voting.
< 2025 Show Off Your Failed Project Contest Poster >
Sungho Jo, KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure (Professor, School of Computing), stated, "As AI technology rapidly evolves and changes the order of the world, humans need to look back at themselves beyond that speed. I hope this Failure Conference will be an opportunity to rediscover the meaning of humaneness amid technological innovation and to imagine a better future." Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, said, "Failure is another name for challenge, and a seed of innovation. KAIST will lead the AI era and human-centered technological development through a creative spirit of challenge that is not afraid of failure."
All programs for the 2025 Failure Conference are open to anyone interested, and detailed schedules and content can be checked on the webstie of KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure (caf.kaist.ac.kr).
2025.10.29 View 2076