Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Yingdan Wu is a pioneer in the development of wireless soft millirobots, focusing on their design, control, and clinical translation. Her research centers on creating miniature, untethered robots capable of navigating and operating within the most challenging environments in the human body and industrial infrastructure. Wu’s major contributions include the invention of soft millirobots that can climb three-dimensional surfaces in confined spaces, a feat previously unattainable for such small-scale devices. She has also developed magnetically actuated gearboxes for precise wireless control and flow-powered robots for traversing tubular structures. Her work on *in situ* sensing of physiological properties using these soft robots opens new avenues for minimally invasive diagnostics. With over 500 total citations, her 2022 paper on climbing millirobots has garnered 203 citations, highlighting its foundational impact. Wu’s recent 2024 review on the clinical translation of these devices underscores her leadership in bridging lab innovations to real-world medical applications. Her achievements include pioneering modular magnetic solid-droplet systems and machine learning-optimized adhesive microstructures, demonstrating a rare combination of materials science, robotics, and biomedical engineering.