Papers
32
Total Citations
2,578
H-Index
21
About
Shengqiang Cai is a pioneering researcher in soft robotics, smart materials, and bioinspired engineering, whose work has fundamentally advanced the design and actuation of soft machines. Based at the University of California San Diego, Cai has made landmark contributions to the development of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) as artificial muscles, demonstrating their capacity for large, programmable deformations driven by heat, light, and electrical stimuli. His team's electrically controlled soft tubular actuator (2019, 539 citations) showcased multimodal actuation capabilities that mirror biological muscular systems, while his work on dielectric elastomer actuators (2018, 336 citations) advanced the field of translucent, frameless soft robotics. Cai's bioinspired designs have produced untethered robots capable of crawling, squeezing, and jumping under light power alone, bridging the gap between biological agility and engineered performance. His innovations in recyclable, self-repairing LCE actuators and dynamic covalent chemistry further address sustainability challenges in soft robotics. With over 2,000 cumulative citations across his most influential works, Cai's research has established him as a defining voice in the next generation of intelligent, biomimetic soft machines.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 6Recyclable and Self-Repairable Fluid-Driven Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuator123 citations · 2020
- 7Bioinspired Design of Vascular Artificial Muscle117 citations · 2018
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- 10A Biomimetic Soft Lens Controlled by Electrooculographic Signal78 citations · 2019