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About

Yekwang Kim is a leading researcher in biomechatronics and rehabilitation robotics, with a focus on developing and validating soft wearable robots for gait assistance. His work centers on the Myosuit, an FDA-approved soft exosuit designed to provide hip and knee extension torque, which has been commercialized to aid mobility in elderly and clinical populations. Kim’s major contributions include comprehensive biomechanical analyses demonstrating that the Myosuit reduces knee extensor demand during level and incline gait, with studies showing reductions in metabolic costs and improved gait speeds. His research has also explored stair ascent training, revealing that the Myosuit can potentially serve as a training robot for the 90% of elderly individuals who use compensatory strategies on stairs. Additionally, Kim has pioneered deep learning-based methods using inertial measurement units to recognize locomotion modes and phases, advancing real-time control for soft wearable robots. With over 20 citations across his most-cited papers, his work bridges engineering and clinical application, notably through the ReWalk system analysis, which suggests its gait resembles crutch-based patterns. Kim’s achievements highlight his impact on accessible, task-specific rehabilitation technologies.