Soomin Kim
Papers
7
Total Citations
82
H-Index
5
About
Soomin Kim is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of haptic feedback systems, magnetorheological (MR) fluids, and robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS). Her most impactful work centers on developing novel haptic masters that restore the critical sense of touch to surgeons operating remotely—a challenge that has long limited the adoption of robotic surgery. Kim’s landmark 2015 paper introduced a four-degrees-of-freedom haptic master using controllable MR fluid integrated with visual feedback, earning 29 citations and establishing a foundation for force-feedback in surgical robotics. She further advanced the field by creating predictive force models for incisions into various tissues (20 citations), enabling more realistic haptic feedback during procedures. Her research also addresses practical reliability concerns, investigating how corrosion of iron particles in MR fluids affects long-term device performance (10 citations). Beyond surgical applications, Kim has explored human-robot interaction, studying how users perceive robot personalities and chatbot gender in diverse contexts. With over 80 total citations, her work bridges mechanical engineering, materials science, and human factors, making her a key contributor to safer, more intuitive surgical robotics and human-centered automation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Force modeling for incisions into various tissues with MRF haptic master20 citations · 2016
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- 5Robots in Diverse Contexts6 citations · 2018
- 6
- 7Force modeling for incision surgery into tissue with haptic application4 citations · 2015