About

Michael R. Kessler is a leading figure in the development of advanced stimuli-responsive polymers, with his work bridging fundamental materials science and practical robotic applications. His research primarily focuses on liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) and liquid crystalline epoxy networks (LCENs), where he has pioneered methods for achieving programmable, reversible shape change. His highly cited 2022 paper on semicrystalline LCEs (37 citations) demonstrates how to create materials that combine high responsiveness with improved mechanical properties, overcoming a key limitation in the field. Kessler has also made significant contributions to functional composites, as seen in his 2021 review on LCENs (27 citations), which has become a key resource for researchers designing new multifunctional materials. Expanding his impact into soft robotics, his work on hydroelastomers (2022, 13 citations) introduces a novel class of tough, highly swelling composites that can be easily molded or extruded. Beyond materials design, Kessler’s 2015 paper on cable force measurement (35 citations) showcases his ability to solve practical engineering challenges in cable-driven parallel robots. With over 100 total citations across these key works, Kessler’s research is defining the next generation of smart materials for actuators, sensors, and soft robotic systems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

4
H-Index
4
Papers
112
Total Citations
28
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Programmable Shape Change in Semicrystalline Liquid Crystal Elastomers
37 citations · 2022
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2022 (2 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 21
🏛 Institutions: North Dakota State University, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago