About WRL
Worlds & Robotics Lab
Connecting People, Worlds, and Robots.
WRL은 인간의 지각과 행동을 물리적 공간의 한계를 넘어 확장하고, 사람과 디지털 세계, 물리세계, 그리고 지능형 로봇을 연결하는 기술을 연구합니다.
WRL은 2015년 9월 1일 KIST 영상미디어연구단에서 Webizing Research Lab으로 설립되었습니다. 당시 WRL이 추구한 Webizing은 웹을 단순한 정보 전달 매체가 아니라 사람, 정보, 가상공간과 실세계가 연결되고 상호작용하는 공통 환경으로 확장하는 연구 비전을 의미했습니다.
이후 WRL은 웹 기반 3D·XR 환경과 실감형 원격협업에서 출발하여, 디지털 트윈, 공간 컴퓨팅, 실감형 인간–컴퓨터 상호작용, 인공지능, Physical AI와 인간–로봇 상호작용으로 연구 영역을 지속적으로 확장해 왔습니다.
2020년 9월 1일 KIST 인공지능연구단으로 연구 기반을 확장하였으며, 2024년 9월 1일부터는 지능·인터랙션연구센터를 기반으로 인간과 인공지능, 실감환경과 물리세계 사이의 지능적 상호작용을 중심으로 연구를 발전시켰습니다.
그리고 2026년 9월 1일, 경희대학교에서 WRL은 Worlds & Robotics Lab으로 새롭게 확장되었습니다.
이 변화는 기존 WRL의 연구 정체성을 단절하는 것이 아니라 그 범위를 확장하는 과정입니다. Webizing Research Lab이 웹을 통해 사람과 디지털 공간을 연결하는 방법을 연구했다면, Worlds & Robotics Lab은 이를 넘어 사람, 다양한 물리적·디지털 Worlds, 그리고 지능형 Robots를 연결하는 방법을 연구합니다.
Our Vision
Extending Human Perception and Action Across Worlds
WRL에서 Worlds는 하나의 가상세계를 의미하지 않습니다.
우리가 연구하는 Worlds에는 사람이 실제로 존재하는 물리적 공간, 멀리 떨어진 원격 환경, 디지털 트윈, XR을 통해 경험하는 가상·증강 공간, 실제 공간을 재구성한 3D/4D 환경, 그리고 인공지능과 로봇을 위한 시뮬레이션 세계가 포함됩니다.
WRL은 이러한 Worlds를
Capture → Represent → Experience → Connect → Interact → Act
하는 기술을 연구합니다.
우리는 현실 세계와 인간의 움직임을 정밀하게 획득하고, 이를 디지털 세계로 표현하며, XR과 공간 디스플레이를 통해 실감적으로 경험할 수 있도록 합니다. 또한 서로 떨어진 사람과 환경을 연결하여 자연스럽게 협업하게 하고, Physical AI와 로보틱스를 통해 인간의 지각과 행동을 원격 물리세계까지 확장하고자 합니다.
Research Directions
Immersive Worlds
현실과 디지털 세계를 정밀하게 획득하고 표현하며 경험하기 위한 기술을 연구합니다.
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Extended Reality (XR)
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Spatial Computing
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Digital Twins
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Immersive Volume
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3D/4D Reconstruction and Representation
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Spatial Displays
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Human Motion and Spatial Data Acquisition
Remote Interaction & Collaboration
물리적으로 떨어진 사람과 환경을 실감적으로 연결하고 원격에서도 자연스럽게 상호작용하고 협업할 수 있는 기술을 연구합니다.
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Immersive Telepresence
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XR Remote Collaboration
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Supersensory XR Interaction
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Remote Inspection and Control
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Physical Remote Collaboration
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Remote Human–Robot Interaction
Physical Intelligence & Robotics
지능형 기계가 실제 물리세계를 이해하고 행동하며 인간과 협력할 수 있도록 하는 기술을 연구합니다.
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Physical AI
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Human–Robot Interaction
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Robot Teleoperation
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Shared Autonomy
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Intelligent Physical Agents
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Human–Robot Collaboration
From Webizing to Worlds & Robotics
WRL의 변화는 연구 대상의 확대를 반영합니다.
2015 — Webizing
사람과 정보, 웹과 가상공간을 연결하는 방법을 연구했습니다.
2020 — Intelligence
인공지능을 실감형 환경과 인간–컴퓨터 상호작용에 결합하기 시작했습니다.
2024 — Intelligence & Interaction
인간과 AI, 디지털 환경과 물리환경 사이의 지능적 상호작용으로 연구를 확장했습니다.
2026 — Worlds & Robotics
물리적·디지털 Worlds와 인간, 그리고 지능형 Robots를 하나의 연속된 상호작용 공간으로 연결하는 것을 새로운 연구 목표로 설정했습니다.
WRL의 기반 기술과 연구 주제는 변화해 왔지만, 그 중심에는 항상 하나의 질문이 있었습니다.
How can technology overcome the boundaries of space and augment the way humans perceive, communicate, interact, and act?
이 질문은 앞으로도 WRL 연구의 중심에 있을 것입니다.
History
September 1, 2015
Webizing Research Lab established
KIST 영상미디어연구단
September 1, 2020
WRL expanded its research toward artificial intelligence
KIST 인공지능연구단
September 1, 2024
WRL advanced its research on intelligence and interaction
KIST 지능·인터랙션연구센터
September 1, 2026
Webizing Research Lab evolved into Worlds & Robotics Lab
Kyung Hee University
About WRL
Worlds & Robotics Lab
Connecting People, Worlds, and Robots.
The Worlds & Robotics Lab (WRL) explores technologies that extend human perception and action beyond physical boundaries by connecting people, digital and physical worlds, and intelligent machines.
WRL was founded on September 1, 2015, as the Webizing Research Lab at the Imaging Media Research Division of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). The idea of Webizing envisioned the Web not merely as a medium for accessing information, but as a shared environment in which people, information, virtual spaces, and the physical world could be connected and interact.
Beginning with Web-based 3D environments, extended reality, and immersive remote collaboration, WRL progressively expanded its research toward digital twins, spatial computing, immersive human–computer interaction, artificial intelligence, Physical AI, and human–robot interaction.
On September 1, 2020, WRL expanded its research foundation within KIST's artificial intelligence research organization. From September 1, 2024, its research further evolved through the Intelligence & Interaction Research Center, with an increasing focus on intelligent interaction among humans, AI, immersive environments, and the physical world.
On September 1, 2026, WRL entered its next chapter at Kyung Hee University, evolving from the Webizing Research Lab into the Worlds & Robotics Lab.
This transition represents an expansion rather than a departure from the original vision of WRL. While the Webizing Research Lab explored how the Web could connect people and digital spaces, the Worlds & Robotics Lab extends this vision toward connecting people, multiple physical and digital worlds, and intelligent robots.
Our Vision
Extending Human Perception and Action Across Worlds
At WRL, Worlds does not refer to a single virtual world.
It encompasses the physical environments in which people live, remote physical environments, digital twins, virtual and augmented environments experienced through XR, reconstructed 3D and 4D spaces, and simulated worlds for artificial intelligence and robotics.
Our research investigates technologies that enable humans and intelligent machines to:
Capture → Represent → Experience → Connect → Interact → Act across Worlds.
We capture physical environments and human motion with high precision, represent them as digital and computational worlds, and create immersive experiences through XR and spatial displays. We connect people and environments across distance, enabling remote interaction and collaboration, and extend human action into remote physical environments through Physical AI and robotics.
Research Areas
Immersive Worlds
We investigate technologies for capturing, representing, and experiencing physical and digital worlds.
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Extended Reality (XR)
•
Spatial Computing
•
Digital Twins
•
Immersive Volume
•
3D/4D Reconstruction and Representation
•
Spatial Displays
•
Human Motion and Spatial Data Acquisition
Remote Interaction & Collaboration
We explore how people can perceive, interact, and collaborate across spatially separated environments.
•
Immersive Telepresence
•
XR Remote Collaboration
•
Supersensory XR Interaction
•
Remote Inspection and Control
•
Physical Remote Collaboration
•
Remote Human–Robot Interaction
Physical Intelligence & Robotics
We develop technologies that allow intelligent machines to perceive and act in the physical world while collaborating naturally with humans.
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Physical AI
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Human–Robot Interaction
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Robot Teleoperation
•
Shared Autonomy
•
Intelligent Physical Agents
•
Human–Robot Collaboration
From Webizing to Worlds & Robotics
The evolution of WRL reflects a continuing expansion of its research vision.
2015 — Webizing
Connecting people, information, the Web, and virtual environments.
2020 — Intelligence
Integrating artificial intelligence with immersive environments and human–computer interaction.
2024 — Intelligence & Interaction
Exploring intelligent interaction among humans, AI, digital environments, and the physical world.
2026 — Worlds & Robotics
Connecting humans, multiple physical and digital Worlds, and intelligent Robots within a continuous space for perception, interaction, collaboration, and action.
Although technologies and research topics have evolved, one fundamental question has remained at the heart of WRL:
How can technology overcome the boundaries of space and augment the way humans perceive, communicate, interact, and act?
This question continues to guide the future of WRL.
History
September 1, 2015
Webizing Research Lab established
KIST Imaging Media Research Division
September 1, 2020
Research expanded toward artificial intelligence
KIST Artificial Intelligence Research Division
September 1, 2024
Research expanded toward intelligence and interaction
KIST Intelligence & Interaction Research Center
September 1, 2026
Webizing Research Lab evolved into Worlds & Robotics Lab
Kyung Hee University