PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Ki-Uk Kyung

Also known as Giwook Kyung, 경기욱

Ki-Uk Kyung is a KAIST robotics researcher whose work spans human-robot interaction, tactile intelligence and physical AI. He earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering at KAIST, visited MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics and joined ETRI as a principal research scientist in 2006. At KAIST, he directs the Human-Robot Interaction Research Center and coauthored research on robotic surgery and haptic interfaces, including a ureteroscope tracker and a car-door feedback device. Since 2026, he is KAIST's endowed chair professor in mechanical engineering and an adjunct professor in its AX Department.

Now at
KAIST
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Timeline

  1. 1999–2006

    Mechanical engineering at KAIST

    He earns a B.S. in mechanical engineering at KAIST in 1999, visits MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics as a student in 2004, and completes a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at KAIST in 2006.

  2. 2006

    Principal research scientist at ETRI

    He joins the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute as a principal research scientist in 2006.

  3. 2011–2017

    Director of ETRI's Creative Research Section

    He directs ETRI's Creative Research Section for Transparent Transducer and User Experience from 2011 to 2017. In 2015, he wins the IEEE Technical Committee on Haptics Early Career Award.

  4. 2018–2025

    Associate professor at KAIST

    He joins KAIST's Department of Mechanical Engineering as an associate professor in 2018 and serves in the position through 2025.

  5. Since 2022

    Director of KAIST's HRI center

    He directs KAIST's Human-Robot Interaction Research Center from 2022.

  6. 2025

    A ureteroscope tracker for surgery

    In 2025, he coauthors a hybrid tracking algorithm for robotic-assisted kidney surgery that combines lumen identification with robot-motion data to locate a ureteroscope inside the kidney.

  7. 2025

    Car-door haptics and conference chairs

    In 2025, he coauthors a hybrid haptic device that reproduces car-door torque profiles for user evaluation. He serves as a general chair of IEEE World Haptics and joins the Korea Haptics Society PI Symposium organizing committee.

  8. Since 2026

    KAIST endowed chair professor

    In 2026, he becomes KAIST Endowed Chair Professor and a professor in its Department of Mechanical Engineering. He serves as an adjunct professor in KAIST's Department of AX, with research areas in human-robot interaction, tactile intelligence and physical AI.

Career

  1. Since 2018KAISTAssociate Professor, Director
  2. 2006–2017Ministry of Science and ICTPrincipal Research Scientist, Director
  3. 2004Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyVisiting Student

Education

  1. 2006KAISTPh.D.
  2. 1999KAISTB.S.

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  3. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes KAIST. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  4. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes KAIST. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Ki-Uk Kyung yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. professor | HRI LAB irobot.kaist.ac.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. ETRI webzine #9 July 2015_News02 etri.re.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. A Novel Hybrid Ureteroscope Tracking for Robotic-Assisted Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery via Recognition of Pathway With Lumen Identification - KAIST pure.kaist.ac.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Hybrid Haptic Device for Car Door Interactions: User Perception of Torque Profiles - KAIST pure.kaist.ac.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Organizing Committee - IEEE World Haptics Conference 2025 2025.worldhaptics.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. The 3rd Korea Haptics Society PI Symposium haptics.or.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Faculty | AX aicollege.kaist.ac.kr. Checked 21 October 2026.