The International Cyborg Olympics, Cybathlon, was held on October 27, 2024. Compared to previous competitions, the number of tasks increased, and the difficulty level also became more challenging.

After winning the 2020 Cybathlon, the ExoLab researchers spent about two more years developing a more advanced robot to help individuals with paraplegia overcome walking disabilities, once again taking on the challenge of the competition.

To perform various tasks encountered in daily life, the robot was upgraded with 12 degrees of freedom in its actuators. The control technology also evolved to coordinate these actuators effectively, enabling multiple movements and maintaining balance.

Throughout the preparation period, the research team spent every day with the robot pilot, Seunghwan Kim, striving to ensure that he and the robot could function as one. Since he had no sensation due to paraplegia, he continuously checked his physical condition with the team to safely wear and operate the robot. He worked closely with the researchers to refine the robot, making it more natural and efficient in performing tasks and walking.

The preparation process was not smooth. The hardware was modified multiple times to allow him to put on the robot while seated in a wheelchair, resulting in a competition-day robot that had almost entirely different parts from the initial prototype. The team also developed a high-current motor driver for high-power actuation, which sometimes sparked during the stabilization process. Achieving natural movement required days of meticulous tuning for even a single motion.

On the day of the competition, everyone was tense as the event began. The tasks included navigating through narrow chairs, carrying objects, slicing bread in a kitchen, passing through doors, and avoiding moving robots. The most critical mission of this year’s competition, "Free Walk"—walking while maintaining balance without crutches— was executed flawlessly. The result: first place! It was the moment when two years of dedication from Seunghwan Kim and the research team paid off. Competing against teams from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Thailand, and other countries, the team demonstrated technological superiority by completing three times as many tasks with ease compared to others.