Amy Kyungwon HAN

The field of soft robotics is revolutionizing medical applications by offering transformative possibilities for safer and more effective interaction with human tissues. 

Amy Kyungwon Han’s research focuses on advancing soft robotics for medical applications, with a particular emphasis on haptics, implantable devices, sensors, and surgical instruments.

In the area of haptics, she has developed cutaneous haptic devices that stimulate fingertip skin to deliver force and texture information. Her long-term goal is to develop compact and low-power actuators that provide realistic feedback on stiffness, texture, shape, and temperature, enhancing the realism of medical training simulators and telemanipulation systems.

In the realm of implantable devices, she is developing devices for cardiac assistance that interface directly with the heart wall or surrounding blood vessels. These innovations aim to provide mechanical support to the heart, induce tissue growth, or prevent the progression of heart disease.

Her research also focuses on creating advanced sensors to enhance the safety, accuracy, and outcomes of surgical and diagnostic procedures while safely interacting with human tissue, demonstrating the crucial role of soft robotics in advancing medical technology. For example, a sensor she developed can differentiate various types of tissues during minimally invasive spinal surgeries, helping to protect nerves and other critical structures, reducing the risk of accidental damage.

Moreover, she is developing surgical instruments, such as graspers that can reliably grasp and handle soft, deformable tissue without causing damage. These advanced surgical instruments leverage the unique properties of soft robotics to enhance the safety, precision, and effectiveness of surgical procedures.

As soft robots play an increasingly important role in the medical field, their innovative research not only improves the safety and efficiency of traditional medical operations, reduces surgical risks and complications, helps improve patient treatment outcomes and survival rates, but also accelerates the development of soft robot technology in medical applications, providing new ideas and technological means for the digital transformation of the medical industry.