The Department of Mechanical, Robotics, and Energy Engineering at Dongguk University has been selected as the autonomous intelligent machines and systems (AIMS) team for the BK21 FOUR project, devised by the Ministry of Education. The BK21 FOUR project aims to reinforce and strengthen the educational and research capacity of prestigious graduate schools, further educating professionals holding masters’ and doctoral qualifications, to foster national competitiveness. BK21 FOUR is a 7-year-long project (September 1, 2020–August 31, 2027), with a total research fund of up to KRW 3 billion. The team is to be led by Prof. Heung-Soo Kim, with Professors Joong-Yeon Lim, Seung-Jun Lee, Soo-Chul Lim, Jae-Hun Lee, and Min-Woo Han from the Department of Mechanical, Robotic, and Energy Engineering comprising the remainder of the research team.

The term ‘autonomous intelligent machine’ refers to an artificial intelligence-based machine that voluntarily recognizes the external environment under automated command systems, performing specific tasks based on autonomous decision-making criteria. Such machines could include robots, autonomous vehicles, and autonomous drones. AIMS is a field of integrated science that combines traditional mechanical engineering with artificial intelligence, a core part of the 4th industrial revolution. The AIMS education research team intends to educate world-class professional academics in the field of autonomous intelligent machines by designating intelligent robots, intelligent materials, and smart machine systems as core research fields. As a result of systematic education for graduates and active academics alike, the team intends to produce outstanding research results that lead the world's drive for AIMS.