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About

Jiafan Chen is at the forefront of soft and continuum robotics, with a research focus on bioinspired systems, medical robotics, and kinematic modeling. His work bridges fundamental principles and emerging technologies, as evidenced by his highly cited review "Bioinspired and biohybrid soft robots: Principles and emerging technologies" (2025, 47 citations), which has quickly become a key reference in the field. Chen has made significant contributions to MRI-guided robotic interventions, developing a hybrid pneumatic-hydraulic actuation system for stereotactic neurointervention—a critical advancement for procedures like deep brain stimulation and biopsy that demand stability and real-time feedback. He has also pioneered real-time whole-body contact estimation for millimeter-scale continuum robots using multiplexed fibers, enabling precise force quantification during endoluminal interventions. Additionally, his work on kinematic error modeling for industrial robots, based on the product of exponentials formula, addresses geometric and joint-dependent errors that limit positioning accuracy. With a growing citation impact and a portfolio that spans from foundational theory to clinical application, Chen is establishing himself as a rising leader in the integration of soft robotics and medical technology.