[Minister of Science and ICT Award] Winner of the WIS 2024 Innovation Award for Wearable Robots

WIS 2024 Innovation Award ’Minister of Science and ICT Award’

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the 2024 World IT Show (WIS 2024) co-organizers selected and awarded the ’WIS Innovation Award’ to innovative products and technologies that received attention at this year’s exhibition. Six works that showcased achievements in information and communication technology (ICT) and AI fields, such as AI humans, wearable robots, innovative materials, and metaverse technologies, won the honor of the award.

◇FRT Robotics ’StepUp’

FRT Robotics’ wearable robot ’StepUp’ 4th generation product won the WIS 2024 Innovation Award ’Minister of Science and ICT Award’.

StepUp is a wearable robot that assists muscle strength when carrying heavy loads, preventing musculoskeletal disorders. A series elastic actuator (SEA) is attached to the waist to support and assist human muscle strength. It can reduce muscle fatigue by about 40% based on about 15 kg of back muscle support. It is made in an exoskeleton form that operates through human-robot interaction, allowing natural movement even when worn. Predictive technology that uses reinforcement learning algorithms to understand the user’s intentions and status has also been applied.

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StepUp is equipped with a monitoring function that can manage the work environment and worker status in real time using 5th generation (5G) mobile communication. Safety sensors mounted on the robot can detect oxygen saturation and flammable gases in the workplace, enabling rapid response to safety accidents. This not only prevents worker injuries but also increases working life. This product was designated as an innovative product by the Public Procurement Service last year and is scheduled to be piloted to the Korea Forest Service and the Fire Department.