Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Tingyu Cheng is a researcher working at the intersection of human-computer interaction, soft robotics, and fabrication technology, with a particular focus on developing accessible, low-cost actuation and sensing materials. Their most influential work, "Printed Paper Actuator" (2018, 108 citations), introduced a groundbreaking approach to reversible electrical actuation by integrating bilayer bending phenomena with conductive PLA printed directly onto ordinary copy paper using consumer-grade 3D printers — dramatically lowering the barrier to entry for interactive material design. This contribution meaningfully expanded the library of actuation-sensing materials available to HCI researchers and makers alike. Cheng's expertise extends into soft robotics, having contributed a review of materials and structures that highlights the field's potential for flexibility and environmental adaptability. More recent work includes Duco (2021), a large-scale electronics fabrication robot designed to transform passive architectural surfaces into interactive spaces, and PITAS (2022), a thin-sheet robotic material enabling non-expert makers to build shape-changing, information-conveying devices. Across their research, Cheng consistently champions democratized fabrication — empowering everyday users to engage with sophisticated robotic and interactive technologies.