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About

Tuo Zhao is pioneering the intersection of origami engineering and soft robotics, with a focus on creating reconfigurable, multifunctional systems. His key research areas include origami metamaterials, modular soft robots, and wireless magnetic actuation. Zhao’s major contributions lie in developing modular chiral origami metamaterials that exhibit programmable mechanical properties, as demonstrated in his highly cited 2025 paper (119 citations). He has also advanced the fundamental understanding of Kresling origami mechanics through combined experimental and theoretical work (92 citations), enabling predictable deployment and load-bearing behavior. In soft robotics, Zhao introduced modular, multi-degree-of-freedom origami robots with reprogrammable electrothermal actuation (59 citations), addressing the longstanding challenge of local bending control for steering motions. His work on wireless actuation using a 3-D Helmholtz coil system (2025) further expands the capabilities of magnetically controlled robots. With over 270 total citations across his most-cited works, Zhao is establishing himself as a leading voice in origami-inspired engineering, bridging theoretical mechanics with practical robotic applications.