To change long-held perceptions to view problems from a new perspective, we must encounter and experience various fields of study. This path leads to completely unexpected consequences and possibilities. Professor Sunghoon Ahn at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, who has explored innovative design and integrated production, and Professor Juyeon Park at the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design, who is researching wearable ergonomics, have developed gloves for hemiplegic patients, enabling self-rehabilitation treatments for those who experience difficulty in daily activities due to hand contractures. These two experts, who are striving to achieve advancements in their respective fields, continue to collaborate to overcome the limitations of individual research. 

Unexpected Changes from Collaboration 

Juyeon Park: The collaboration between Prof. Sunghoon Ahn and I began from a student who was pursuing a PhD in my lab. At that time, Prof. Sunghoon Ahn's laboratory had developed a fabric consisting of shape-memory alloy, and the student applied it to a wearable garment. However, there was an issue of a significant temperature rise prior to the completion of their doctoral dissertation, and the student wrestled this problem to develop gloves for hemiplegic patients with the professor. The temperature of these gloves was found to exert an impact in softening the muscles and joints of hemiplegic patients, during the self-rehabilitation treatment process for those with hand contracture symptoms.

Sunghoon Ahn: As Prof. Park said, the first opportunity to develop a fabric using shape-memory alloy was during a collaboration with the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. In a course related to fabricating soft robots and wearables, a student in my lab was investigating deformable fabrics using special fibers, but they were struggling to find an appropriate method. We created a product by applying shape-memory alloy, which changes its shape depending on the temperature, and a knitting method. Moreover, we developed a fabric technology that can be driven by solely temperature change without an electric current during joint research with the now-retired professor Yoon-ja Nam.

Juyeon Park: Come to think of it, there are no barriers or limitations to research. Collaboration in different fields can result in unexpected achievements. Furthermore, the direction of a research field is greatly influenced by advances in technology. Although the history of clothing began from the Neolithic Age, a technology called “wearable devices,” which are difficult to be considered as garments despite that they are worn on the body, is constantly evolving. The research with Prof. Ahn is in the same vein: a combination of thousands-of-years-old weaving techniques with new materials has transformed into gloves that aid hemiplegic patients. I am aware that Prof. Ahn continues his engagement with the appropriate technology in Tanzania, starting with this purpose and value. 

Value of Technology Varies Depending on the Environment 

Sunghoon Ahn: Appropriate technology refers to technology created considering the level of infrastructure in a local community; for example, a water purification device using solar heat. I have intended to convert the fourth industrial technology into an appropriate technology. Since 2011, we have installed generators utilizing renewable energies, such as solar, small hydro, and wind powers in a remote village in Nepal without an electricity supply to provide electricity to homes. With electricity available, approximately 3,000 residents could use simple home appliances, such as lighting, cell phones and TVs, and could build and operate chicken farms. We opened the Base Center for Appropriate Science and Technology in 2017, continuing our activities in Tanzania. Inexpensive and easily programmable Arduinos were used to construct Smart grids and factories, which enabled villagers to produce facial masks using locally available materials during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been generating electricity from our power plant for over 10 years. 

Juyeon Park: Prof. Ahn's activities appear slightly different from typical official development assistance (ODA) or appropriate technology. It is amazing that the villagers continue to use the technology rather than used it as temporary support. What is the secret to successfully completing this project in Nepal?

Sunghoon Ahn: Their process and financial resources are the same as in the ODA, yet there is a significant difference in the direct involvement of villagers. Although small hydropower generation requires a hydraulic head of approximately 100 m to produce electricity, there were no facilities in Nepal at that time. To build a power plant, it was necessary to mobilize hundreds of people for three months, starting with chopping trees for utility poles and building embankments. However, this was over our budget. Thus, I prepared a video message containing the construction method and sent it to the villagers. We successfully completed the construction thanks to their trust in our promise to provide techniques related to the construction of utility poles and civil engineering works if they would voluntarily participate. Because all the villagers worked in constructing the buildings with their hands, they formed a strong attachment to the infrastructure with genuine willingness to learn and utilize the techniques. This opportunity was rewarding in that my students and I were able to realize our ideas, and provide aid for the underdeveloped country through our own technology. Furthermore, all technologies vary in performance depending on environment and application. Prof. Park, who is exploring fashion and textiles that are closely related to daily life, may have similar experiences.

Juyeon Park: I strongly agree with your opinion that the possibilities of technology vary depending on the environment. In retrospect, in 2006, when I was working at Colorado State University, an officer from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs visited me. They paid an aimless visit to find a way to recycle numerous waste parachutes to avoid merely discarding them. At that time, there were many disabled veterans in the U.S. in the midst of the war in Iraq. Searching for a way to meaningfully contribute, my students and I designed recycled products, such as backpacks and pouches using waste parachutes, and provided the idea and the manufacturing method for veterans with disabilities and their families. Commercializing this idea brought many benefits to their economic independence. Moreover, students created evening dresses composed of parachutes and coordinated a fashion show. These experiences opened my eyes to a new aspect of clothing and textile studies. I learned that the fabrication techniques of clothes could develop into social contribution activities.

Joy of Giving Away Without Return 

 

Smart shoes that improve athletic ability

Juyeon Park: Despite tremendous advancements in wearables, there are many obstacles in regards to convenience. I renamed this field as wearable ergonomics from the perspective of exploring the ways to benefit users’ lives. Against the common perception of an offset relationship between technology and design, I am seeking to develop a wearable with the best performance in both terms, which is gradually emerging. In addition to the commercialization stage of wearable products in collaboration with global companies, I am currently leading a project at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, in which we are collaborating with several research teams to fabricate a “suit that enables a user to run 100 m within seven seconds.” Aiming to create customized technology, communication is crucial within the laboratory to develop various ideas and listen to others in addition to communicating with users.

Sunghoon Ahn: As Prof. Park said, the communication process inside and outside the laboratory has unleashed the potential of wearables. Hopefully, students will prioritize positive communication in collaborative processes in the future. It may be a cliché, but the “Give and Take” principle should be applicable during the collaboration process. In this case, the order of exchange is important; it makes a big difference to have a “mind to give away first” despite no immediate return, rather than the hesitant attitude of delivering something to others only to gain benefits. We can save others who are in trouble, which in turn makes us happy. I hope that students will discover the joy of giving away to others first during their research or volunteer experiences.