Dongting Li

Arizona State University, University of California San Diego

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Dongting Li is a pioneering researcher in soft robotics, with a focus on locomotion and manipulation in complex, granular environments. Their work centers on bio-inspired and origami-based designs to overcome the challenges of movement in sand, soil, and other loose materials. Li’s major contributions include the development of compliant fins and anisotropic friction skins that enable robots to burrow, anchor, and retrieve themselves autonomously in granular media—a feat critical for applications in planetary exploration, agriculture, and disaster response. Their 2021 paper on compliant fins for granular locomotion has garnered 27 citations, while their 2020 study on friction anisotropy in burrowing robots has 22 citations, underscoring the field’s interest in these novel mobility strategies. Li also extends soft robotics to human assistance, as seen in their 2022 origami-inspired wearable trunk support device, which aids elderly gait during obstacle avoidance. With a growing portfolio of highly cited works, Li is advancing the frontier of soft robotics, merging fundamental mechanics with practical, deployable systems.