Papers
11
Total Citations
325
H-Index
9
About
Feng Cao is a pioneering researcher in the emerging field of insect–computer hybrid robotics, where living insects are transformed into controllable, steerable biobots for real-world applications. His work centers on the electrical stimulation of insect muscles to achieve precise, graded control over leg motion and gait, enabling cyborg insects to walk, climb, and even fly under remote or autonomous command. Among his most influential contributions is the development of a closed-loop biological microactuator using a living beetle (Mecynorrhina torquata), which demonstrated three-degree-of-freedom motion control—a foundational achievement cited over 65 times. He further advanced the field by constructing insect–computer hybrid legged robots with user-adjustable speed, step length, and walking gait (60 citations), and by equipping these platforms with innate obstacle negotiation and onboard human detection for urban search and rescue (59 citations). Notably, his team achieved backward walking—a gait naturally impossible for intact beetles—by replacing anisotropic leg spines with isotropic artificial ones. With over 300 cumulative citations across his top ten papers, Cao’s work bridges neuroscience, micro-robotics, and bioengineering, pushing the boundaries of what living machines can accomplish in disaster response and beyond.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 4Electrical Stimulation of Coleopteran Muscle for Initiating Flight36 citations · 2016
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- 7Fuzzy-controlled living insect legged actuator20 citations · 2016
- 8Remote radio controlled insect-computer hybrid legged robot14 citations · 2017
- 9Insect-Computer Hybrid System for Autonomous Search and Rescue Mission13 citations · 2021
- 10