I am Jeonghan Yu, a Ph.D. candidate in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Seoul National University, South Korea. I recently completed my Ph.D. defense and anticipate my graduation in February.
I have developed an autonomous design algorithm for rigid linkage mechanisms. This enables a user to implement ideas on a mechanism possessing specific target mechanical properties, encompassing target force- and speed-based profiles and target trajectories; these are subsequently and systematically assigned to the mechanism autonomously by iterative topology optimization. I am currently in the stage of upgrading the design algorithm to devise progressed solutions for wearable exoskeletons, which are electromechanical devices to accommodate the needs of individuals with and without walking disabilities. I hope to continue integrating modernized methods for building original exoskeleton mechanisms synchronous to society’s demands.
Before becoming a Ph.D. candidate, I received my mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree at the same university, SNU, in 2017. Since my undergraduate research. I have collaborated with a Distinguished Professor named Dr. Yoon Young Kim and advanced a design algorithm based on topology optimization, which determines the number and types of links and joints as well as the mechanism’s configuration without reliance on any baseline layouts. My major accomplishment involves being the first engineer to extend and apply the design method to real-world engineering applications.
Besides my optimization skills, I am extremely passionate about creating and designing new robots that are helpful to human beings, especially wearable robots. It led me to extend my expertise in robotic control as well. My fascination with robot design and control led me to refocus my efforts on designing practical exoskeleton robots. This shift highlighted my dedication and led me to build a robot from the ground up. Collaborating with Dr. Giuk Lee at Chung-Ang University, Korea, I developed a torque control algorithm for effective power transmission to the wearer's hip joint through a flexible joint, utilizing FPGA and real-time controllers.
Regarding my experiences with collaborators, I have actively engaged and communicated with various professors and peers in my field. I especially enjoyed immersing myself in innovating and contributing to my study area; however, I also remain interconnected with others outside my institution. I constantly interact and network with those who share my passion for designing algorithms and robotic systems. This better contributes to expanding my knowledge on how to proactively optimize and innovate solutions in mechanical engineering. I hope to further extend this appreciation for maintaining teamwork by entering a new period of continued studies in my postdoctoral position. Moreover, I aspire to integrate a humanitarian approach into my future projects that will equalize gait mobility conditions for all individuals.
Besides research, I invest my time in hobbies, including workouts (yoga, CrossFit, climbing, and running) and drawing during my leisure time.
Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul, Republic of Korea
MS. & Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (Sep. 2017 - Present)
Thesis: Self-Aligning Exoskeleton Mechanism Joints: Topology and Shape Design and Control (In preparation)
Supervisor: Prof. Yoon Young Kim
B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Mar. 2013 - Feb. 2017)
Undergraduate Thesis: Simultaneous Shape and Topology Optimization of Planar Linkage Mechanisms Based on the Spring-connected Rigid Block Model
Integration of Design, Control, and Experimentation for a Robotic System