Myongji University team partners with Baylor University for autonomous vessel tech

A research team from Myongji University's Department of Mechanical Engineering has successfully secured a significant international research project. Led by Professor Jeong Sang-guk, the Micro-System research team will collaborate with Baylor University's BRIC Research Center in Texas, U.S., on a three-year '2026 Global Collaborative R&D' national project. The initiative is valued at approximately 1.5 billion Korean Won (around $1.2 million USD).

The core objective of this collaboration is the joint development of self-cleaning glass technology specifically designed for optical sensors crucial to autonomous vessels. Current optical sensors used in these ships are continuously exposed to challenging marine conditions, including rainwater, saltwater spray, high humidity, and various contaminants. This exposure degrades image quality, leading to potential errors in recognizing the surrounding environment and obstacles, thereby compromising the overall reliability and safety of autonomous navigation systems.

Professor Jeong's team has been researching self-cleaning glass technology aimed at actively removing water droplets and contaminants from sensor surfaces. This technology is intended to ensure stable visibility even in adverse weather and harsh maritime environments. Through this international partnership, the researchers plan to optimize the technology for the operational conditions of autonomous vessels and enhance its performance and reliability by leveraging Baylor University's research capabilities.

To formalize the collaboration, Professor Jeong's team visited Baylor University in July, initiating research with Professor Lee Jeong-bong's team at the BRIC Research Center. Both institutions intend to foster a sustainable international research cooperation framework through regular mutual visits and researcher exchanges, in addition to the joint technology development.

Professor Jeong emphasized the critical role of stable sensor performance in advanced autonomous systems. "As autonomous systems become more sophisticated, it is crucial for cameras and various optical sensors to maintain stable performance while minimizing the impact of the external environment," he stated. "Through this research with Baylor University, we aim to advance self-cleaning glass technology to a level applicable to real-world maritime autonomous navigation and further solidify our cooperative foundation through continuous researcher exchange."