Wonhee Kim

General Motors (Poland), University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Wonhee Kim is a researcher at the forefront of soft robotics and inflatable structures, with a focus on enabling rigid, controllable, and posable forms from traditionally compliant materials. Her work bridges the gap between lightweight deployable systems and the structural integrity needed for real-world applications. In her 2020 study, "Posable Tensegrity-Constrained Inflatable Kinematic Graphical Analysis," Kim introduced a novel framework that integrates tensegrity principles with inflatable actuators, allowing for precise, multi-degree-of-freedom positioning without sacrificing the benefits of soft, collapsible hardware. This paper has garnered 4 citations and is foundational for researchers exploring hybrid rigid-soft mechanisms. Earlier, in her 2018 paper "Tile-based rigidization surface parametric design study," Kim tackled the challenge of on-demand structural stiffening by investigating particle jamming and tiled surfaces—a key step toward inflatables that can transition from flexible to load-bearing. With 3 citations, this work informs the design of adaptive shelters, medical braces, and space-deployable structures. Kim’s contributions are shaping a new class of smart, shape-locking inflatables that promise to revolutionize fields from aerospace to assistive robotics.