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About

The Korea Institute of Robot and Convergence (KIRO) stands as one of South Korea's premier research institutions dedicated to advancing robotics technology across a remarkably broad spectrum of applications. Based in Pohang, KIRO brings together interdisciplinary expertise spanning robot control theory, humanoid systems, mobile robotics, service robots, and human-robot interaction, positioning itself at the forefront of both fundamental research and real-world deployment. KIRO's most significant scientific contributions center on advanced robot control methodologies, particularly time-delay estimation (TDE) techniques for robot manipulators. Their landmark 2017 paper on adaptive integral sliding mode control with TDE has garnered over 315 citations, establishing the institute as a global authority in model-free robust control. This body of work—spanning humanoid flexible-joint control, hydraulic excavator motion, and adaptive PID strategies under payload variations—has provided the robotics community with practical, computationally efficient alternatives to conventional model-based approaches. Beyond control theory, KIRO has demonstrated impressive breadth through contributions in coverage path planning for mobile robots, bipedal walking pattern generation, pneumatic muscle actuator compliance, upper-limb exoskeleton control, and even robot-assisted language learning. Their participation in the prestigious DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials 2013 with Team THOR showcased their capacity to compete on the world stage in complex, real-world humanoid robotics tasks. More recently, the institute has expanded into search-and-rescue snake robots and smart city multi-agent surveillance systems, reflecting a forward-looking vision that bridges physical robotics with intelligent urban infrastructure. For prospective students and collaborators seeking a dynamic environment where rigorous theoretical innovation meets tangible societal impact, KIRO offers exceptional opportunities across emerging and established domains of robotics research.