Ryan Minkyu Chung

A deployable compliant gripper for produce harvesting, developed at the Mekateka Lab, Korea University. Three scissor linkages driven by a single linear actuator close the grasp from every direction at once, while silicone strips lining the grasp envelope provide damage-free contact. The geometry tolerates large positioning errors, relaxing the localization accuracy required from vision systems during automated harvesting.

The same scissor-linkage principles govern deployable aerospace structures — satellite booms, solar arrays, and folding antennas — a direction this work naturally extends toward.

Full design details, experiments, and results will be published here once the accompanying research letter is released — manuscript in preparation, 2026.

Hearo is a conceptual wearable device, a bracelet designed to aid the deaf and hard of hearing, developed for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) National Startup Competition (공군창업경진대회). Unlike typical projects focused on physical prototypes, Hearo emphasized a realistic manufacturing plan and profit model due to resource limitations faced by our team of active-duty airmen. Utilizing an Arduino Nano BLE Sense with an integrated microphone, we implemented a custom sound recognition AI to identify specific sounds, like the wearer's name. Upon recognition, Hearo vibrates and indicates the direction of the sound source, addressing our personal need for clear communication during noisy activities like shooting practice. We explored various government policies and subsidies to support future development.

Despite limited access to the internet and materials, and working only during our evening free time, we focused on the core aspects of product development: AI implementation, manufacturing planning, and business strategy. This project provided entrepreneurial experience, highlighting the importance of conceptual design and sustainable business models. By focusing on the potential of Hearo and the practicalities of its production, we demonstrated the ability to innovate and address real-world challenges, even within the constraints of military service.

We wrote a business plan and presented our project to a panel of judges, receiving positive feedback on our innovative approach and potential for future development. We were placed in the top 13 teams and were invited to the award ceremony at "The Korea Economic Daily (한국경제신문사)" headquarters in Seoul.

For my Korean military service, I decided to put my English skills to good use. I applied for the Korean-English military interpreter (어학병) enlistment program for the Republic of Korea Air Force.

After a translation and interpretation test as well as a series of interviews, I was officially recruited as an airman starting January of 2024. After basic training, I was stationed at one of the biggest international airports on the globe, Incheon International Airport (ICN).

My main role was to assist the Chief of Military Protocol when high-ranking foreign military officials required English translation aid and protocol. I also conducted protocol for Korean officials on their way to and from their business trips. Spending my time here, I experienced international diplomacy firsthand and had the honor of making countless precious memories talking to diplomats coming to Korea from across the world.

P.S. Spending about a year and a half inside an airport, it feels like you're Tom Hanks from the movie 'The Terminal' (2004).

For my MECH300 class, my team and I were assigned to design and build a robot that could cross a jungle gym with sporadically missing bars. It was my first time building a machine without any guidance, so I immediately knew it was going to be a challenging task.

Brachiation is a form of transportation for apes; think of Tarzan swinging from branch to branch, one arm after the other. Thinking that this was the most efficient way of traversing a jungle gym, I came up with a moving mechanism and persuaded my fellow teammates.

My team and I decided to make the body and grippers out of lightweight acrylic and Arduino with servo motors for the powertrain mechanism. I designed the powertrain and gearbox so that a minimum amount of motors and gears were used to reduce weight and prevent gear slip. Using Excel, my team and I made a simple program that visualized each motor's angular displacement and grip strength.

With my knowledge of C++ and Arduino, I used a motor controller to control each motor's precise movement for each phase of brachiation. I also designed and arranged the circuitry as symmetrically as possible so that there was no unnecessary shear force while the robot progressed.

After four months of brainstorming and building, our team was able to get the shortest crossing time out of all of the competing teams.

As part of Eoulsure (어울수레), Korea University's Formula Student racing team, I spent the 2023 season on our E-Formula racecar's electrical systems. For the electrical safety examination, my teammate (YDS) and I designed and fabricated custom PCB panels, most notably the RTDS (Ready to Drive Sound) circuit. This involved meticulous component selection and layout to ensure reliable signal processing from the brake sensor and activation button, making a loud audible alarm. The panels were then carefully assembled and tested, contributing directly to the vehicle's successful safety inspection.

The photo above is the PCB for the TSAL (Tractive System Active Light) circuit. The TSAL circuit is a safety feature that indicates when the car is ready to drive. The circuit is connected to the motor controller and the battery management system. When the car is ready to drive, the TSAL circuit lights up and the driver can start the car.

We also developed countless other PCBs through trial and error, often failing to meet the safety regulations, going back to square one. Although we tried our best and made it to the KSAE competition, undergraduates building an electric car without the help of electrical engineers and professional guidance had its limitations and we failed to pass the safety inspection. However, it was rewarding to see our hard work pay off when our successors passed the electrical safety examination in 2024.

I learned a valuable lesson where even the smallest of components requires countless hours of attention and feedback to achieve its final role in the grand scheme of the machine. This lesson has stuck to me and continued to grow as I learned more and more about the production of a race car. And the joy of finally watching your thought move from idea to paper and then from paper to reality feels like nothing else in this world.

Around the winter break of 2022, as our club's seniors graduated and the juniors shifted their focus to the job market, the responsibility of managing Eoulsure — Korea University's Formula Student racing team — fell into our sophomores' hands.

After carefully dissecting last year's (2022) racecar and dedicating countless hours to study sessions over winter break, the challenge of designing our 2023 vehicle began. Eager to learn a thing or two outside the boundaries of our school's standard M.E. curriculum, I chose to join the powertrain team. This team's critical responsibility lay in the intricate task of delivering power to the motor via a sophisticated battery system, and implementing vital safety mechanisms throughout the entire vehicle. This opportunity allowed me to dive into the world of high and low voltage electrical systems, battery management, and crucial safety protocols, equipping me with invaluable skills beyond traditional mechanical engineering knowledge.

Regarding the battery box, I actively participated in its construction, utilizing CATIA to optimize component placement for efficient space utilization and thermal management. To enhance durability and protect sensitive circuitry from vibrations, I designed and 3D-printed custom holsters for various components within the box. This approach ensured that the battery system remained secure and functional under the demanding conditions of the race.

During my freshman year I wanted to join a club. A club where I could experience the engineering process in the flesh (and also drink beer). "Eoulsure" was the perfect fit for that mission. Eoulsure in Korean is a compound word Eoul (어울) meaning ‘getting along with’ and sure (수레, pronounced soo-re) meaning ‘wagon’ or ‘car’. As you can tell from the name, Eoulsure is a club where people interested in automobiles come together to compete in the annual Korean Student Formula Grand Prix.

We competed in the E-Formula division where the car runs on lithium batteries and a motor instead of the conventional diesel engine. E-Formula cars are generally considered more challenging than regular formula and baja cars, as there are far more safety regulations and systems that need to be implemented in the car. 2022 was the first year Eoulsure competed in E-Formula, starting from square one with no knowledge of making an electric car.

At the start of the semester, freshmen like me were not used to heavy-duty tools like grinders, welders, and drills, so we were first taught how to use each tool along with its safety precautions.

Summer break was when the actual building began, sophomores and juniors did the design process while we freshmen were stuck out in the garage under the scorching sun, cutting pipes and pieces of metal.

We went to Gunsan (군산) with our car to compete on the track. Although the process was hard (dealing with the heat was even harder), I felt fulfilled seeing my contribution in the final product. By observing over their shoulders, I learned a lot from my upperclassmen; I was glad I had chosen engineering as my career.

As a corporal in the Air Force, I had nothing to do during my free time. Of course there was always going to the gym, playing video games with my mates, but none of that was fulfilling to the mind. After deep consideration of how to spend my time, I decided to study the basics of HTML. 'Cause why not? I had nothing else to do anyway.

After experimenting with some HTML and CSS, I naturally wanted to make my own website. Rather than explaining my projects to every new person I meet, I thought it would be a good way to introduce myself and my projects in a more orderly fashion.
Learning Bootstrap helped me a lot in organizing code and adding effects.
This website is the result of my HTML learning journey. I hope you enjoy reading.

P.S. I'm still learning so please mind the bugs!!

The moment I became a sophomore member of Eoulsure, Korea University's Formula Student racing team, I had a batch of freshmen who were so eager to learn but didn't know where to start. Remembering our own struggles as freshmen, many senior members held weekly or monthly seminars to pass down what they had learned during their time on the team.

Traditionally, the team only held a power tools seminar for freshmen in the spring to prime them for heavy-duty work in the summer. But as the team grew and became more diverse in its projects, we started to open more specialized seminars for different areas of interest, such as CAD, electrical circuits, racecar dynamics, etc. Additionally, we invited KUME alumni working in the automobile industry such as "Hyundai", "Alpine Formula One Team", and "KAI" to give advice from an expert's point of view.

These seminars not only helped freshmen get accustomed to the technical skills required for building a racecar, but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. By sharing knowledge and experiences, we were able to create a supportive learning environment without any barriers between ages.

I personally assisted the Chassis team in holding weekly CAD seminars, teaching freshmen the basics of CATIA and SolidWorks. By the end of the summer they were able to 3D print basic switch boxes and fasteners.
I also held my own seminar specialized in electrical circuitry, sharing what I should've done from the start in retrospect and the hardships I've experienced along the way (2023 Grand Prix).

Sharing my knowledge and experience contributed to the collective development of our younger members, ensuring that they were well-equipped to tackle the challenges they will eventually face when making their own race car.

The pictures below are from some of the seminars I participated in as a sophomore mentor.