Logo of ARRC

Woontack Woo, Ph.D.

Director, KAIST KI-ITC ARRC
    Director, KAIST UVR Lab.
    Professor, KAIST GSCT
KAIST E4 A322
+82-42-350-2923
wwoo@kaist.ac.kr
 

Woontack Woo is a Professor in the Graduate School of Culture Technology (GSCT) at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea. He also has been the Vice President of the Korean Institute of Next Generation Computing (since 2011), Vice Chair of the CG&I Society in the Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers (since 2010), Vice President of the HCI Society of Korea (since 2008) and Vice President of the Korea Computer Graphics Society (since 2008). He received his BS in Electronics Engineering from Kyungpook National University (KNU, Daegu, Korea) in 1989 and his MS in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH, Pohang, Korea) in 1991. In 1998, he received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering-Systems from University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA. In 1999, as an invited Researcher, he joined Advanced Telecommunications Research (ATR), Kyoto, Japan. From Feb. 2001 to Feb. 2012, he served as a Professor in the School of Information and Communications (SIC) and Director of Culture Technology Institute (CTI) at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea. The main thrust of his research has been implementing ubiquitous virtual reality in smart space, which includes Context-aware Augmented Reality, 3D Vision, HCI, and Culture Technology. He coined the terminology, “ubiquitous virtual reality (UVR)” and initiated UVR Lab at GIST in 2001. Since then he has developed various augmented reality applications such as “DigiLog Books, DigiLog Miniatures and DogiLog Spaces” and published more than 300 papers in major journals and conferences.

Research Interest

  • 3D Computer Vision, HCI, Affective Computing for Augmented Reality
  • Ubiquitous Virtual Reality
  • Culture Technology

Education

  • 1998 Ph.D. Electrical Engineering-Systems, USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • 1991 M.S. Electronics & Electrical Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, Korea
  • 1989 B.S. Electronics Engineering, KNU, Daegu, Korea

Activities and Work Experience

  • 2012-Current, Professor, GSCT, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
  • 2015-Current, Director, Augmented Human Research Center,?KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
  • 2014-Current, Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, KAIST,??Daejeon, Korea
  • 2012, Research Consultant, Microsoft Research, Redmond, USA
  • 2005-2012, Director, GIST Culture Technology Institute, Gwangju, Korea
  • 2001-2012, Professor, GIST, Gwangju, Korea
  • 1999-2001, Invited Researcher, ATR, Kyoto, Japan
  • 1993-1999, Research Assistant & Associate, SIPI & IMSC, USC, LA, CA, USA
  • 1991-1992, Researcher, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Kiheung, Korea
  • 1989-1991, Research Assistant, POSTECH, Pohang, Korea
  • 1989-1989, Intern Researcher, ETRI, Daejeon, Korea

Honors and Awards

  • 2014, (yJang) Best Paper award in HCII 2014
  • 2014, (tHa) Best Presentation award in KJMR 2014
  • 2013, (tHa) People’s Choice (Demo) award in VR2013
  • 2012, (jHan) Best paper award in KHCI 2012
  • 2011, (wLee) Honorable mention in ICAT 2011
  • 2011, (hcKim) Best presentation award in 38th KIISE Spring Conference
  • 2011, (cShin) Best paper award (장려상) in KHCI 2011
  • 2010, (hYoon) Best paper award in UIC 2010
  • 2009, (jPark) Best paper award in KING PC 2009 Fall Conference
  • 2009, (ktHa) Best paper award in KING PC 2009 Spring Conference
  • 2009, (kKim) Best paper award in KING PC 2009 Spring Conference
  • 2009, (kKim) Best Yooung Research Award in ICEC 2009
  • 2008, (kYun) Best paper award in ACM International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology (ACE)
  • 2007, (W.Lee) Best paper award in International Symposium on Ubiquitous VR
  • 2006, (T.Ha) Best presentation award in 60th IEEK Spring Conference
  • 2005, (Sj.Oh) Best presentation award in 32th KIISE Spring Conference
  • 2004, (T.Ha) Best presentation award in 30th KIISE Spring Conference
  • 2000, Best Research Award at ATR, Kyoto, Japan
  • 1999, Bronze Award in the 5th Humantech Thesis Prize by Samsung Electronics, Korea
  • 1991, First Award in DSP Education, Samsung, Kiheung, Korea

Professional & Social Activities

  • 2014-2015 한국 HCI 학회장
  • 2011-현재 KAIST CT 대학원 운영위원
  • 2011-현재 한국차세대컴퓨팅학회 부회장
  • 2010-현재 한국정보과학회 CGI 소사이어티 부회장
  • 2008-현재 한국 CG학회 부회장
  • 2012-2014 대한전자공학회 컴퓨터소사이어티 부회장
  • 2012-2013 대한전자공학회 컴퓨터소사이어티 유비쿼터스시스템 연구회 위원장
  • 2008-2013 한국 HCI 학회 부회장
  • 2009-2010, 2015 한국정보과학회 이사
  • 2008-2010 한국차세대컴퓨팅학회 이사
  • 2008-2010 한국정보과학회 sigHCI 운영위원장
  • 2008, 2015 대한전자공학회 컴퓨터소사이어티 이사
  • 2007, 2009, 2010 한국멀티미디어학회 이사
  • 2007-2008 KAIST CT 대학원 운영위원
  • 2006-2008 광주시정보화추진위원
  • 2007-2008 아시아문화중심도시 조성위원회 2기 조성위원
  • 2006-2007 한국 HCI 학회 기획담당 이사
  • Editorial board, 2015- : Springer Augmented Human Research
  • Guest co-Editor, 2009-2010: Springer Virtual Reality: Special Issue on Virtual Reality and Cultural Technology
  • Guest co-Editor, 2009: of Research and Practice in Information Technology: Special Issue on Ubiquitous Virtual Reality
  • Guest Associate Editor, 2006: The IEICE Transactions on Information and Systems: Special Section on Artificial Reality and Telexistence
  • 편집위원, 2006-2014 : International Journal of Virtual Reality (IJVR)
  • 편집위원, 2005-2011 우리춤, 2008- 정보과학회지, 2009- 멀티미디어학회지
  • Technical Program Committee Co-chairs: ACM AH 2016, ACM CHI 2015, KCC 2012, Springer UIC 2011, Springer ICEC 2009, ACM ubiComp 2008, ICAT 2004, KHCI 2004

Publications

  • Doctoral Dissertation: Rate-Distortion based Dependent Coding for Stereo Image/Video: Disparity Estimation and Dependent Bit Allocation, USC, LA, CA, USA, 1998
  • MS Thesis: Unification Model of Early Vision Using Neural Networks and Probabilistic Theory, Postech, Pohang, Korea, 1991