Wenjie Lai
Papers
15
Total Citations
461
H-Index
9
About
Wenjie Lai is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of surgical robotics, haptic sensing, and flexible endoscopic systems. His research has made significant strides in solving one of minimally invasive surgery's most persistent challenges: restoring reliable force feedback to surgeons operating flexible endoscopic robots. Lai's pioneering contributions center on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based force sensors, with two landmark papers each accumulating 78 citations, demonstrating how miniaturized optical sensors can detect distal forces in tendon-sheath mechanisms despite their notoriously nonlinear friction behavior. Complementing this hardware-focused work, he has advanced deep learning approaches for haptic feedback estimation without prior knowledge of sheath configuration, earning 56 citations. His 2020 paper on robotic suturing for flexible endoscopy (52 citations) addresses life-threatening perforations during endoscopic procedures, offering a potentially transformative clinical solution. Lai has also contributed innovative robotic system designs, including three-limb teleoperated platforms and foot-controlled interfaces that enhance surgical autonomy. More recently, his work on soft grippers with slip perception signals a broadening research agenda toward dexterous autonomous manipulation. Across his portfolio, Lai's research consistently bridges sensing, control, and clinical application.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2A Three-Axial Force Sensor Based on Fiber Bragg Gratings for Surgical Robots78 citations · 2021
- 3
- 4Sewing up the Wounds: A Robotic Suturing System for Flexible Endoscopy52 citations · 2020
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- 9Bioarchitectonics-inspired soft grippers with cutaneous slip perception17 citations · 2025
- 10Joint Rotation Angle Sensing of Flexible Endoscopic Surgical Robots8 citations · 2020