□ Professor Kyungin Jang from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) was recognized as a top achiever in the convergence field for the ‘100 Excellent National E&D Achievements 2025,’ organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
□ The ‘100 Excellent National R&D Achievements’ system is designed to promote scientific and technological accomplishments that support national growth, boost public interest, and foster pride among scientists and engineers. It selects outstanding research and development achievements recommended by each Ministry overseeing national R&D projects. This year, 970 nominations were evaluated by experts and publicly verified to determine the 100 finalists.
□ Professor Kyungin Jang was recognized as the top achiever in the convergence field for his research on ‘Development of a Wireless Telepathy Chip for Full Implantation in the Primate Brain.’ This technology is a fully embedded cerebral nerve recording device powered wirelessly by an external source, without batteries or wires. It received high praise for overcoming the limitations of leading global technologies, including Elon Musk's Neuralink, particularly regarding battery charging and wired connections, marking a first in the world.
□ The research team successfully recorded stable brain signals for over a month in freely moving primates by inserting very thin, flexible electrodes into the brain and applying a biodegradable structure to reduce brain damage during insertion. This exhibited the potential for long-term recording of brain signals during natural behaviors, such as feeding.
□ Additionally, the team used a proprietary AI algorithm to analyze cerebral nerve signals, accurately identifying the primate's feeding behavioral phase with over a 90% success rate. This serves as a crucial step toward developing next-generation brain-computer interfaces, which aim to better understand intractable brain diseases like Parkinson's and eating disorders. These interfaces can also enable real-time detection of patient intentions to improve treatment control or operate assistive devices.
□ Professor Kyungin Jang stated, "It's highly significant that we have, for the first time globally, demonstrated a battery-free, fully wireless cerebral nerve system capable of long-term brain signal measurement in a free state. Building on this research, we plan to commercialize the technology via our faculty startup, ENSIDE Co., Ltd., and develop a product that can greatly enhance the quality of life for patients with intractable brain conditions."
□ The results of this research was published in the renowned journal Nature Biomedical Engineering and recognized for its academic excellence. Professor Kyungin Jang was awarded the Science and ICT Minister’s Prize for this work. Founded by Professor Jang, ENSIDE Co., Ltd. is focusing on developing implantable brain-computer interfaces and humanoid solutions based on this innovative core technology. This positions the company to lead the rapidly expanding physical AI market in healthcare and robotics. Building on this success, DGIST aims to strengthen global research partnerships in future technologies that combine brain science, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
