Flexible robots, grounded in soft materials/structures and compliant actuation, aims to enhance the safety and adaptability of robots operating in unstructured environments. They encompasses both soft robots that rely on the deformation of low-modulus materials and a class of robots that exhibit compliance through their structural features. By endowing these robots with intrinsic perception and decision-making capabilities, flexible intelligent robots can truly achieve safe and harmonious coexistence with complex natural environments.

Current research in our laboratory primarily focuses on two areas: high-performance shape memory alloys (SMA) artificial muscles and large-deformation origami-inspired meta-structures. We are dedicated to advancing the engineering applications and interdisciplinary development of soft/flexible robotics through innovative structural designs combined with intelligent sensing, actuation, and control strategies.

1. High-Performance Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) Artificial Muscles

• Investigating the actuation mechanisms of SMA-based artificial muscles, innovatively developing SMA artificial muscle modules, and providing high-performance bionic actuation solutions.

• Integrating efficient sensing and control strategies to achieve precise control of SMA artificial muscles.

• Developing SMA artificial muscle-based soft robots and exploring their practical applications in various scenarios.

2. Large-Deformation Origami-Inspired Meta-Structures

• Revealing the mathematical relationships between crease parameters and folding shapes/orientations, proposing an inverse origami design model, developing user-friendly origami design software, and achieving programmable design and fabrication of origami structures.

• Developing flexible origami robots to address the challenges of integrated actuation design and precise motion control.