KAIST to Showcase K-Tech Competitiveness at KAIST Pavilion during CES 2026
< Figure 1. Bird's-eye view of the KAIST Pavilion at CES 2026 >
KAIST announced on January 2nd that it will participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026), held from January 6 to 9, 2026, at Eureka Park in the Venetian Expo, Las Vegas. KAIST will operate a dedicated 111㎡ "KAIST Pavilion" to showcase its innovative technologies to global corporations and investors.
A total of 12 startups will participate in the KAIST Pavilion at CES 2026. Notably, eight of these companies are built on core AI technologies, highlighting KAIST's artificial intelligence research capabilities and its achievements in technology commercialization.
The participating companies will unveil solutions targeting the global market across various high-tech sectors centered on AI, including robotics, bio-health, hardware devices, and content technology.
One of the standout participants is Hypergram, a faculty-led startup. Hypergram will introduce 'HG VNIR Pro,' the world’s first commercialized compressive hyperspectral imaging technology. This product is an end-to-end solution that integrates industrial-grade precision hardware with AI analysis software, capable of detecting minute chemical properties invisible to the human eye in real-time. During the exhibition, the company plans to demonstrate high-precision AI image analysis using its high-speed hyperspectral machine vision camera.
< Figure 2. Hypergram >
MOSS, a winner of the CES 2026 Innovation Award, will exhibit an AI-based, all-in-one mobile music production platform. This platform allows the general public and indie musicians to create high-quality music without a heavy financial burden. Visitors can experience the intuitiveness and innovation of the technology at an AI experience zone, where they can create music by linking the MOSS app with the dedicated hardware, 'MOSS Pocket Studio.'
< Figure 3. MOSS (Innovation Award Winning Product) >
BareulEye is developing a medical AI diagnostic solution that detects high-resolution changes in internal organ microstructures based on AI-powered quantitative ultrasound analysis technology. At CES 2026, they will unveil a 3D volume reconstruction technology that utilizes smart mirror-based self-ultrasound imaging.
Leveraging this technological prowess, BareulEye recently secured approximately $10 million (14 billion KRW) in a strategic Series A investment from a leading global healthcare company. Led by Professor Hyeon-min Bae, the Director of the KAIST Institute for Startup & Entrepreneurship and CEO of BareulEye, the company plans to accelerate joint technology development and overseas market expansion.
< Figure 4. BareulEye >
In addition to these, various KAIST startups leading innovation in AI, bio, and hardware devices will participate to solidify their foundations for entering the global market.
The KAIST Pavilion is designed with an open layout and large-scale LED displays to attract attention, featuring independent spaces for each company to facilitate in-depth technical presentations and investment consultations.
"Through CES 2026, we aim to imprint the AI-driven innovative technologies of KAIST startups on the global stage and establish a practical bridgehead for their international expansion," said Keon Jae Lee, Vice President of the KAIST Institute for Technology Value Creation.
KAIST develops ‘Hoverbike’ to roam the future skies
< Photo 1. A group photo of the research team >
Hoverbike is a kind of next-generation mobility that can complement the existing transportation system and can be used as an air transportation means without traffic congestion through high-weight payloads and long-distance flights. It is expected that domestic researchers will contribute to the development of the domestic PAV* and UAM markets by developing a domestically developed manned/unmanned hybrid aircraft that escapes dependence on foreign technology through the development of a high-performance hoverbike.
*PAV: Personal Aerial Vehicle. It is a key element of future urban air mobility (UAM, Urban Air Mobility) and constitutes an important part of the next-generation transportation system.
KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) announced on the 27th of December that the research team of Professor Hyochoong Bang of the Department of Aerospace Engineering successfully developed the core technology of a highly reliable multipurpose vertical takeoff and landing hoverbike that can be operated by both manned and unmanned vehicles.
This research was participated by the research teams of Professor Jae-Hung Han, Professor Ji-yun Lee, Professor Jae-myung Ahn, Professor Han-Lim Choi, and Professor Chang-Hun Lee of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST, Professor Dongjin Lee of the Department of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles at Hanseo University, and Professor Jong-Oh Park of the Department of Electronics Engineering at Dong-A University.
The research team secured key technologies related to the optimal design of a multipurpose aircraft, hybrid propulsion system, highly reliable precision navigation and flight control system, autonomous flight, and fault detection for the development of a high-performance hoverbike.
< Figure 1. Key features of high-reliability multi-purpose hoverbike >
The hoverbike platform introduced a gasoline engine-based hybrid system to overcome the shortcomings of battery-based drones, achieving approximately 60% better performance and maximum payload weight compared to overseas technology levels. Through this, it is expected to be utilized in various fields such as emergency supply delivery, logistics, and rescue activities for civilian use, and military transport and mission support for military use.
The navigation system was applied by implementing multi-sensor fusion technology based on DGPS/INS* to enable stable flight even in environments without GPS or with weak signals using high-reliability precision navigation technology.
*DGPS/INS: Navigation solution combining high accuracy of Differential GPS (DGPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS)
In addition, high-reliability flight control technology was developed to enable reliable maneuvering even under external factors such as payload and wind, and model uncertainty, and fault detection technology was also developed.
A guidance technique to automatically land on a helipad after selecting a safe automatic landing area by configuring a high-reliability autonomous flight system was implemented with high accuracy. Stable operation is possible even in complex environments through obstacle avoidance and automatic landing autonomous flight technology.
< Figure 2. Hoverbike prototype model >
Professor Hyochoong Bang, the research director, emphasized, “We have proven the high practicality of the hoverbike in various environments through high-reliability flight control and precision navigation technology.” He added, “The hoverbike is a promising research result that can not only provide a major path leading to PAVs and future aircraft, but also surpass existing drone technology by several levels. This achievement is even more meaningful because it is the result of five years of effort by eight joint research teams, including the project’s practitioners, PhD students Kwangwoo Jang and Hyungjoo Ahn.”
This study aims to secure core technologies for manned/unmanned multipurpose hoverbikes that can be utilized as new concept aircraft in the defense and civilian sectors. It started as the Defense Acquisition Program Administration’s Defense Technology for Future Challenge Research and Development Project in 2019 and was completed in 2024 under the management of the Agency for Defense Development. It is scheduled to be exhibited for the first time at the 2025 Drone Show Korea (DSK2025), which will be held at BEXCO in Busan from February 26 to 28, 2025.