Hyunham Kim
Pohang University of Science and Technology · Engineering
About the Lab
Professor Hyunham Kim's research lab specializes in advancing biomedical imaging and ultrasound technologies with a focus on developing innovative, non-invasive, and cost-effective diagnostic tools. The lab pioneers cutting-edge photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging systems—such as handheld photoacoustic finders, endoscopic dual-mode imaging probes, and high-frequency single-element ultrasound systems—aimed at improving cancer detection and treatment monitoring. A key emphasis is placed on integrating optical and acoustic modalities for enhanced imaging performance while minimizing radiation exposure and hardware complexity. The lab also explores energy-efficient solutions for critical infrastructure, including renewable energy integration in cellular base stations, reflecting a broader commitment to sustainable technology development.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15The standard-of-care for evaluating lymph node status in breast cancers and melanoma metastasis is sentinel lymph node (SLN) assessment performed with a handheld gamma probe and radioisotopes. However, this method inevitably exposes patients and physicians to radiation, and the special facilities required limit its accessibility. Here, we demonstrate a non-ionizing, cost-effective, handheld photoacoustic finder (PAF) fully integrated with a solid-state dye laser and transparent ultrasound transd
Dual-mode photoacoustic/ultrasound endoscopy (ePAUS) is a promising tool for preclinical and clinical interventions. To be clinically useful, ePAUS must deliver high-performance ultrasound imaging comparable to commercial systems and maintain high photoacoustic imaging performance at long working distances. This requires a transducer with an intact physical aperture and coaxial alignment of acoustic and optical beams within the probe, a challenging integration task. We present a high-performance
Advancements in diagnostic systems for metastatic cancer over the last few decades have played a significant role in providing patients with effective treatment by evaluating the characteristics of cancer cells. Despite the progress made in cancer prognosis, we still rely on the visual analysis of tissues or cells from histopathologists, where the subjectivity of traditional manual interpretation persists. This paper presents the development of a dual diagnosis and treatment tool using an in vit
Concentric annular type dual element transducers for second harmonic imaging at 20 MHz / 40 MHz were designed and fabricated to improve spatial resolution and depth of penetration for ophthalmic imaging applications. The outer ring element was designed to transmit the 20 MHz signal and the inner circular element was designed to receive the 40 MHz second harmonic signal. Lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)), with its low dielectric constant, was used as the piezoelectric material to achieve good electrical
Single-element transducer based ultrasound (US) imaging offers a compact and affordable solution for high-frequency preclinical and clinical imaging because of its low cost, low complexity, and high spatial resolution compared to array-based US imaging. To achieve B-mode imaging, conventional approaches adapt mechanical linear or sector scanning methods. However, due to its low scanning speed, mechanical linear scanning cannot achieve acceptable temporal resolution for real-time imaging, and the
With global concern for climate change, and for cutting down the energy cost, especially in off grid areas, use of renewable energy has been gaining widespread attention in many areas including cellular communication. The base station (BS) has emerged as a strong candidate for the integration of renewable energy sources (RES), particularly solar and wind. The incorporation of renewable energy opens many possibilities for energy conservation through strategies such as energy cooperation between B
Single-beam acoustic tweezers (SBAT) is a widely used trapping technique to manipulate microscopic particles or cells. Recently, the characterization of a single cancer cell using high-frequency (>30 MHz) SBAT has been reported to determine its invasiveness and metastatic potential. Investigation of cell elasticity and invasiveness is based on the deformability of cells under SBAT's radiation forces, and in general, more physically deformed cells exhibit higher levels of invasiveness and therefo
Visible light communication (VLC) has recently gained significant academic and industrial attention. VLC has great potential to supplement the functioning of the upcoming radio-frequency (RF)-based 5G networks. It is best suited for home, office, and commercial indoor environments as it provides a high bandwidth and high data rate, and the visible light spectrum is free to use. This paper proposes a multi-user full-duplex VLC system using red-green-blue (RGB), and white emitting diodes (LEDs) fo
Multimodal optical and ultrasound imaging (USI) provides complementary diagnostic insights. However, because conventional USI uses opaque ultrasound (US) transducers, integrating these two modalities results in a bulky and complicated handheld probe in which neither modality performs efficiently. Although transparent ultrasound transducers (TUTs) solve these issues by acting as optical windows, enabling the seamless combination of light and US beams, single-element TUTs are not common in clinica
We present a back-to-back (BTB) structured, dual-mode ultrasonic device that incorporates a single-element 5.3 MHz transducer for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment and a single-element 20.0 MHz transducer for high-resolution ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound image-guided surgical systems have been developed for lesion monitoring to ensure that ultrasonic treatment is correctly administered at the right locations. In this study, we developed a dual-element transducer composed of two
Maritime cognitive radio networks (MCRNs) have recently been proposed for opportunistic utilization of the licensed band. Spectrum sensing is one of the key issues for the successful deployment of the MCRNs. The maritime environment is unique in terms of radio wave propagation over water, surface reflection and wave occlusions. In order to deal with the challenging maritime environment, we proposed an optimal entropy-based cooperative spectrum sensing. As the results of spectrum sensing are sens
Microbubbles are widely used in medical ultrasound imaging and drug delivery. Many studies have attempted to quantify the collapse pressure of microbubbles using methods that vary depending on the type and population of bubbles and the frequency band of the ultrasound. However, accurate measurement of collapse pressure is difficult as a result of non-acoustic pressure factors generated by physical and chemical reactions such as dissolution, cavitation, and interaction between bubbles. In this st
20 MHz 192 element convex array transducers are proposed for high frequency ophthalmic imaging. A convex array can cover the whole eye within a single image, achieve higher frame rate, create multiple focal zones with dynamic aperture and implement Doppler or color flow mapping whereas other types of arrays are limited to implement those features. A 1.5 wavelength pitch, 24 mm radius of curvature and 52deg maximum view angle were chosen to provide adequate spatial sampling and resolution along w
Research Areas
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