Papers
3
Total Citations
531
H-Index
3
About
Xiaobin Ji is a pioneering roboticist whose work sits at the intersection of soft robotics, bio-inspired design, and advanced actuator technologies. His most celebrated contribution is the development of an autonomous, untethered soft robotic insect—a subgram marvel powered by low-voltage dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). This breakthrough, detailed in his 2019 paper with 518 citations, solved a long-standing challenge in the field: creating a compliant, resilient robot that can move freely without a power tether, mimicking the agility and robustness of real insects. Ji’s research also extends into wearable technology and intelligent control systems. He has engineered electric field-induced mechanical flapping motors for soft robotic and wearable applications, and developed a novel triboelectric-TFT flip-flop that enables bistable latching of DEAs. This innovation, combining self-powered soft sensors with flexible high-voltage thin-film transistors, allows actuators to maintain a strained state without continuous power—a critical step toward energy-efficient, autonomous soft machines. Through his work, Ji has not only advanced the fundamental science of soft actuation but also paved the way for practical, untethered robots that can navigate complex environments, with profound implications for exploration, search-and-rescue, and wearable assistive devices.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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