Papers
15
Total Citations
4,786
H-Index
11
About
Michael Wehner is a pioneering figure in soft robotics, whose work has fundamentally reshaped how we think about autonomous, compliant machines. His research centers on the design, fabrication, and powering of entirely soft-bodied robots, with a particular emphasis on achieving untethered, resilient locomotion. Wehner's most celebrated contribution is the first entirely soft, autonomous robot—the "octobot"—described in his 2016 *Nature* paper, which has garnered over 2,000 citations and demonstrated that complex control and power systems can be integrated into a fully soft platform. He also developed the first resilient, untethered soft robot capable of carrying its own power source, a pneumatically powered mobile robot detailed in a 2014 paper with over 1,000 citations. Beyond locomotion, Wehner advanced the field of soft somatosensation by creating actuators with embedded 3D-printed sensors, enabling robots to "feel" their environment. His work on lightweight soft exosuits for gait assistance and pneumatic energy sources has also been highly influential, bridging the gap between fundamental materials science and practical, wearable assistive devices.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1An integrated design and fabrication strategy for entirely soft, autonomous robots2,096 citations · 2016
- 2A Resilient, Untethered Soft Robot1,075 citations · 2014
- 3Soft Somatosensitive Actuators via Embedded 3D Printing576 citations · 2018
- 4A lightweight soft exosuit for gait assistance346 citations · 2013
- 5Pneumatic Energy Sources for Autonomous and Wearable Soft Robotics278 citations · 2014
- 6An untethered jumping soft robot194 citations · 2014
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- 9A Soft Combustion-Driven Pump for Soft Robots36 citations · 2014
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