KISTI selects promising commercialization items for small and medium-sized enterprises every year.
50 technologies selected from 11 fields based on quantitative data

There are numerous technologies poised to drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including big data, self-driving cars, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence. While there's a growing call to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it's unclear which items are truly suitable for commercialization.

Accordingly, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) has identified commercialization items that SMEs should focus on in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Based on venture capital investment data, market data, and technology trends, the institute analyzed the technologies to determine their suitability for SMEs, marketability, potential for technological development, and potential for significant market ripple effects. The institute selected 50 technologies across 11 categories. Below, we present ten promising commercialization items.

The first is a big data collection and analysis package. It collects and analyzes data within a web-based system to derive business insights. The current implementation phase is expected to have a high probability of success. Requirements include securing a database structure for data retrieval and analysis, data transmission control technology, and cloud computing technology. Representative companies include Saltlux and IBM. For example, L Confectionery is leveraging Watson's big data analysis results for new products.

The second is smart clothing. These garments, which use special materials or computer chips to exchange electrical signals or data or connect to external smart devices, have high commercial potential, but the current market is small. However, given the size of the apparel market, their size is expected to grow. Toray, a textile company, collaborated with NTT to develop clothing that uses electrically conductive fibers to collect data like heart rate and calorie consumption, earning recognition as a medical device. Kolon Sport also developed a jacket equipped with a communication module that alerts users to emergencies.

The third is intelligent automotive radar sensors. They transmit electromagnetic waves and receive reflected signals from targets to measure their location and speed. The market has entered a period of growth and is large in scale. As a technology standard in autonomous vehicles, priority should be given to the development of embedded ECU technology and sensor fusion technology utilizing existing sensors and additional, low-cost sensors. Leading companies include Bosch and Continental.

The fourth is 3D mathematical modeling software. It's used to efficiently represent 3D models and depict physical environments or real-world objects. It's a growing market, and there are currently examples of its use in motion capture and AR. Research is needed to develop methods for processing image data utilizing spatial information and for data conversion between modeling programs. It's also a valuable tool for creating 3D maps needed for autonomous vehicles in the future. Autodesk is a leading company in this field.

The fifth is bioink, a decellularized biomaterial required for biochips or artificial tissue/organ printing. This is an item that requires a mid- to long-term perspective, requiring the acquisition of fundamental technologies. Representative companies include regenHU and CELLINK.

The sixth category is artificial organs/tissues produced using 3D bioprinting. These are artificial tissues or organs created by layering bioink into a desired shape. While the market is still in its infancy, the company believes there's a high probability of commercialization. There are many priority technologies to secure, including xenotransplantation production technology and immune modulation technology. Leading companies include organovo and envisionTEC.

KISTI Technology Commercialization Analysis Center Director Jeon Seung-pyo said, “The reason Starkey, an American hearing aid company, was successful was because they created a hearing aid that was ‘in the ear.’ It is a case of meeting consumer needs well in a social context rather than having outstanding technology.”

The seventh is a wearable assistive robot. This robot synchronizes mechanized robotic arms or legs with human movements, amplifying mobility and strength. While still in the introductory phase, the potential for commercialization remains low, and with the aging population, it is expected to become a commercial product. The Israeli company ReWalk's exoskeleton walking assistance robot received sales approval in Korea last year.

The eighth is a senior care robot. The market has entered a growth phase, and commercialization potential is high. This robot is capable of recognizing, judging, and expressing information, including video and audio information, and analyzing situations. It is a stationary/mobile robot that provides conversational services, cognitive assistance, and fall/illness support for the elderly. A representative example is Softbank's 'Pepper'.

The former center director emphasized the importance of social understanding, saying, “In Denmark, a fixed care robot was installed in the bathroom to help with undressing and dressing.” He added, “Many elderly people were reluctant to have the robot act as a caregiver, but when it was installed in the bathroom, they preferred the robot to a caregiver.”

The ninth area is human microbiome analysis. This involves analyzing the microbiome and genetic information of the microorganisms living within an individual's body. The market is still in its infancy phase, with low commercialization potential. Securing core technologies that can analyze the correlation between the microbiome and diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory skin disease, and metabolic disorders is crucial. Enterome, a leading company, has developed a method for diagnosing diseases by analyzing the genes of intestinal bacteria extracted from stool.

The final option is a personal genetic analysis service. This service scans and analyzes extensive genetic regions of the human chromosome to detect genetic abnormalities. New companies have a high potential for commercial success. Angelina Jolie was previously diagnosed with breast cancer prematurely, and 23andme is a prime example. Since this service deals with the detection of genetic abnormalities, institutional issues are crucial.

The former center director said, "Rather than approaching the 10 items as primary technologies, I hope to utilize them as indirect businesses by considering the political, social, and economic contexts."

In addition, the 50 selected items can be checked in the Promising Item Knowledge Base System ( http://boss.kisti.re.kr ).