"Eighteen, nineteen..." The reporter repeatedly lifted and lowered a 20 kg kettlebell but felt no burden on the waist. It felt like becoming Superman just by wearing one extra piece of clothing. Upon removing that clothing, the reporter returned to their original state. The weight of the equipment, which felt light just a moment ago, suddenly felt twice as heavy, and the waist began to ache.
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed a garment known as the "bionic suit" that turns ordinary individuals into Superman. It assists the wearer's strength, significantly reducing physical strain during repetitive labor or lifting heavy objects. On the 11th, at a research lab in Daejeon, the efficacy of the bionic suit was directly confirmed.
Park Cheol-hoon, the lead researcher behind the bionic suit, noted on that day, "The starting point of this research was the small inconveniences of daily life. Every time I separate trash for recycling, my arms and waist ache. For me, it's just once a week, but workers who constantly lift heavy objects or the elderly must face even greater challenges. I wanted to create clothing that would help those individuals."
Since 2012, Lead Researcher Park Cheol-hoon has begun research on artificial muscles for humanoids (robotic models resembling humans). Although experiments were conducted to move robotic arms using shape memory alloys and springs, the development speed for industrial humanoids has been slow. He determined that assisting the strength of the elderly and preventing musculoskeletal disorders in industrial workers are more urgent issues, leading him to start research on the bionic suit.
The core of the bionic suit is a fabric made from artificial muscle wires created from shape memory alloys. Shape memory alloys have the property of returning to their original shape when the temperature exceeds a certain point. By processing wires measuring 25-40 µm (micrometers, where 1 µm equals one millionth of a meter), which is about a quarter of the thickness of hair, into coil-shaped springs and then weaving them into fabric, the materials can function similarly to human muscles.
Lead Researcher Park explained, "Shape memory alloys contract by about 2-5% when temperature is applied, but human muscles need to contract up to 40%. So, I made the shape memory alloy into a spring structure to increase the contraction amount." By connecting electrodes to the artificial muscles and passing current through them, the temperature rises, causing contraction. This force helps to assist the wearer's strength.
The bionic suit is a type of wearable robot. Until now, most have had a hard exoskeleton like insects, using large motors or hydraulic devices to generate strong force. Metal exoskeleton robots are heavy and difficult to use in daily life. The bionic suit can be worn just like regular clothing.
He said, "Existing exoskeleton robots are conceptually like strapping a forklift to one's body. What people want is not 'superpower,' but simply support for their bodies and assistance with repetitive tasks." Lead Researcher Park described the bionic suit as "light, easy to wear, and characterized by being silent."
The price is also an advantage of the bionic suit. Exoskeleton wearable robots used for moving luggage at airports cost up to 140 million won for a year's rental. The research team at KIMM said their goal is to lower the price of the bionic suit to the level of outdoor clothing worth a few hundred thousand won.
Another important aspect of the bionic suit is the "intent recognition" technology. To enable natural movements, it is essential to accurately perceive the user's movements and relay them to the actuator. Until now, the research team has developed various methods, including switch-type, voice recognition, and sensor-based systems.
In particular, there was a hands-on experience with the "sensor-type shoulder assist suit," where strength is transmitted simply by imagination. Although assistance was felt when first worn, it became so intuitive that it took less than a minute to become accustomed to wearing this jumper-like device. The moment the thought of lifting an object arises, strength is applied involuntarily, allowing a water bottle to be lifted effortlessly. It felt so light that one might wonder, "Did I really exert any force?" and felt even heavier when placing it down.
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) was awarded the "Grand Award" in 2024 for the bionic suit. They are already collaborating with Seoul National University Hospital on clinical trials involving trouser-type suits and shoulder assist suits for patients. They have also received research funding of 14 billion won, which will continue until 2027.
In addition to LIG Nex1, five corporations, the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, and the Textile Research Institute also participate in the research. Lead Researcher Park stated, "If all goes well, we hope to start selling products as early as next year," adding, "We will expedite commercialization to ensure that those waiting eagerly for this technology can use it as soon as possible."