I am a robotics and computer vision researcher with over 20 years of experience in robot vision and robot navigation. My work focuses on enabling robots to perceive their surroundings, understand spatial context, and navigate safely and intelligently in real-world environments.
I began my research career at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and later worked at the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute (CMU RI), where I conducted research in robot navigation and computer vision, focusing on visual perception and autonomous mobility in complex indoor spaces. At Samsung Electronics, I developed robot navigation and vision technologies for factory automation. Currently, at NAVER LABS, I lead and contribute to the development of robot vision and navigation systems for autonomous service robots, engaging in both hands-on research and technical leadership.
I’m passionate about connecting research with practical applications—building intelligent systems that help robots coexist and cooperate with people in everyday environments.
Jun 2018 – Present | Seongnam, South Korea
At NAVER LABS, I lead and execute R&D efforts in robot vision and navigation for autonomous service robots deployed in complex indoor environments such as offices and data centers. I have:
Led the development of deep learning models for robot perception tasks, including traversable area detection, stereo depth estimation, and 3D object reconstruction
Designed elevator pose estimation and human detection systems to help robots make intelligent and safe lift access decisions
Built 2D LiDAR-based auto-docking systems and floor marker-based localization solutions for persistent and reliable robot operation
Developed robot-exclusive elevator navigation systems, including precise path planning for entry and exit
Led the design and deployment of sensor calibration modules, including LiDAR-camera, camera-odometry, and hand-eye calibration
Built vision-based 6-DoF object pose estimation and grasping systems for robotic arms, supported by automated data pipelines and online model updates
Contributed to vision-guided navigation for car-like service robots operating in high-density environments
These efforts have directly supported the deployment of scalable, robust service robot platforms within NAVER's real-world infrastructure.
Dec 2017 – Jun 2018 | Incheon, South Korea
As a full-time faculty member, I taught core courses in robotics and mechatronics to undergraduate students. I also provided career and technical mentorship to help students pursue careers in robotics, automation, and AI-related industries.
Jan 2012 – Nov 2017 | Suwon, South Korea
At Samsung Electronics, I worked on vision and AI technologies for industrial and consumer robots:
Developed deep learning-based object pose estimation systems for robotic bin picking
Built hand-eye calibration and sensor fusion modules for industrial robot arms
Applied machine learning to visual inspection and defect classification for manufacturing automation
Designed ceiling camera-based path alignment and localization algorithms for home robot vacuum platforms
Contributed to LiDAR-based localization and autonomous navigation for mobile robots
Conducted biomedical signal analysis using EMG to classify human gait patterns
Developed vision-based internal organ pose estimation techniques for single-port surgical robots
Published first-author research in IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO), a leading journal in robotics
This role strengthened my ability to translate research into high-reliability, deployable robotics systems in industry settings.
Dec 2010 – Dec 2011 | Pittsburgh, PA, USA
At CMU RI, I conducted research on robot perception, focusing on robust object recognition and feature-based matching in dynamic scenes:
Developed algorithms to improve the robustness of vision-based recognition under real-world uncertainty
Investigated graph-based matching techniques for object detection in cluttered environments
Published first-author work in IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence (TPAMI), one of the most prestigious journals in computer vision
This experience broadened my international research perspective and deepened my foundation in vision-centric robotics.
Jan 2001 – Nov 2010 | Seoul, South Korea
Roles: Postdoctoral Fellow (2010), Graduate Researcher (2001–2010)
Over nearly a decade at KIST, I contributed to foundational work in autonomous navigation and robot perception:
Designed hybrid topological-metric map representations using visual landmarks and geometric features
Built cognitive navigation systems incorporating global/local localization, path planning, and tracking
Researched stereo vision, object recognition, and 3D scene reconstruction
Developed a stereo camera system for real-time human motion analysis and applied it in mobile robot contexts
Contributed to early developments in service robot autonomy, including exploration strategy and semantic mapping
This period laid the groundwork for my long-term commitment to intelligent, environment-aware robotics.
Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Robotics
Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea (Feb 2010)
Dissertation: Object-Spatial Layout-Route-Based Hybrid Map and Its Application to Mobile Robot Navigation
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering / Computer Vision
Kyung Hee University, Suwon, South Korea (Feb 2003)
Thesis: Development of a System for Measuring Mandibular Movements Using Double Stereo Vision
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Kyung Hee University, Suwon, South Korea (Feb 2001)