South Korea-US team unveils robotic technology that dresses the wearer

A groundbreaking robotic technology that allows individuals to dress themselves without using their hands or external assistance has been unveiled by a joint South Korean and U.S. research team. Developed by scientists at KAIST in South Korea and Stanford University in the United States, this innovation holds significant promise for various fields, including semiconductor manufacturing cleanrooms and emergency response services.

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When I was riding a bicycle, it started to rain … and I thought it would be helpful if a raincoat could be put on automatically (as I ride).

The core of the technology lies in soft, flexible "vines" integrated within clothing, powered by air pressure. When activated, these vines smoothly guide the fabric onto the wearer's body, mimicking the way ivy climbs a structure. Remarkably, this process works even if the person is not standing perfectly still. The system can dress a person in a full suit in approximately 10 seconds.

Kim Nam Gyun, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at KAIST, was inspired by a personal experience during a rainy bike ride. He envisioned a raincoat that could be put on automatically while cycling. The "vine robot" stays close to the user, turning the clothing inside out as it moves, ensuring stable adherence to the body's shape. A key advantage is its ability to function without requiring the wearer to remain motionless and without complex control algorithms.

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The vine robot stays close to the person and dresses them by turning the clothing inside out as it moves, allowing it to climb stably along the shape of the body.

Professor Ryu Jee-Hwan of KAIST explained that the robot's movement is inspired by climbing ivy, advancing by growing at its tip rather than shifting its entire body. This allows for stable navigation along curved surfaces, even on slippery, sticky, or sloped terrains. Beyond assisting the elderly and disabled, the researchers see potential in scenarios demanding rapid donning and doffing of protective gear without hands-free operation, such as in semiconductor cleanrooms or for emergency workers.

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It can pass through narrow gaps, grow while adapting to the shape of its surrounding environment, and move regardless of whether the surface is slippery, sticky, or sloped.

Ryu also noted that while AI software often garners attention, this self-dressing robot highlights the crucial role of mechanical engineering in complementing software advancements. The research findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.

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Given the explosive growth of AI, there was usually much attention on the software powering systems, but the team’s self-dressing robot was an example of how mechanical engineering could complement software.