Dankook University Selected as University ICT Research Center... 7.5 Billion KRW Support Over 8 Years

Training Barrier-Free AI and Robot Experts

Professor Choi Yong-geun conducting research with students using AI, robotics, and IoT technologies to support socially vulnerable groups.

Dankook University announced on the 4th that it has been selected for the ‘2024 University ICT Research Center (ITRC) Project’ organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation, and will begin training experts in barrier-free AI and robotics.

The University ICT Research Center (ITRC) Project is a program that supports research projects in promising ICT technology fields to train experts at the master's and doctoral levels. Dankook University will receive 7.5 billion KRW in funding until 2031 to conduct research on ‘multi- and cross-modal AI-based daily life assistance technologies’ for socially vulnerable groups using AI, robotics, and IoT technologies.

Dankook University plans to establish a ‘Barrier-Free Robot Living Lab’ to jointly research the latest barrier-free ICT technologies for students with disabilities, including those with hearing, physical, visual, and cognitive impairments. The living lab will conduct research such as △development of a bidirectional AI sign language interpretation tablet and kiosk for the hearing impaired △development of an AI robotic arm to support daily living independence for the physically disabled △development of an AI robotic guide dog for the visually impaired △development of a brain diagnosis-based cognitive therapy AI robot doll for the cognitively impaired.

To foster talent, barrier-free ICT major courses will be offered in the Graduate School’s Department of Artificial Intelligence Convergence and Department of Computer Science.

The detailed courses include △AI Sign Language Processing △AI Robotics △Cognitive Engineering and Reinforcement Learning △AI HRI △Sign Language Processing AI Innovation Project △ICT Assistive Technology AI Innovation Project.

The education and research projects involve faculty from globally leading research groups such as the University of Birmingham in the UK, KAIST, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Experts from promising domestic AI, robotics, and IoT companies including EQ4ALL Co., Ltd., Batonus Co., Ltd., Mandro Co., Ltd., V-Touch Co., Ltd., Angel Robotics Co., Ltd., Rendezvous Co., Ltd., and Neofect Co., Ltd. will participate in hardware and service platform development.

For technology and service demonstration and the spread of barrier-free ICT, the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, National Rehabilitation Center, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Dankook University Hospital, and Seoul National University Soft Robotics Center will collaborate.

President An Soon-cheol stated, “While AI, robotics, and IoT technologies are rapidly advancing, the ICT technology infrastructure for socially vulnerable groups is insufficient. Through research on the latest barrier-free ICT technologies, we will strive to secure core technologies in AI, robotics, and IoT fields, enhance national technological competitiveness, and train specialized personnel.”