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About

Wei-chen Lee is a pioneering roboticist whose work bridges engineering, art, and practical service applications. His most celebrated contribution is the realization of the world’s first robot theatre performance, featuring biped androids and humanoid robots capable of facial expressions and theatrical movement (42 citations). This landmark achievement demonstrates his unique ability to merge technical control systems with creative performance. Lee’s research spans humanoid robotics, robotic manipulation, and assistive technologies. He has developed innovative solutions including an orientation sensor for indoor mobile robots using differentials, a music-reading and singing two-wheeled robot for human-robot interaction, and a novel underactuated three-phalanx robotic gripper for enhanced grasping stability. His work also addresses real-world challenges, such as a leaf-sweeping robot designed to replace noisy leaf-blowers, and rehabilitation robotic prostheses for upper extremity recovery. More recently, Lee has focused on practical automation tools, creating a system using an LCD monitor and robotic arm to rapidly generate image datasets for object detection. Across his career, his research has accumulated over 70 citations, reflecting a consistent impact on both academic robotics and tangible, human-centered applications.