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About

Yanning Dai is an emerging researcher specializing in flexible electronics, smart sensing systems, and humanoid robotics. Their work centers on the development of artificial smart skins — advanced multifunctional sensor arrays designed to equip robots with human-like perceptual capabilities. Dai's most significant contribution is a flexible, multi-functional smart skin architecture capable of concurrently sensing force, touch position, proximity, and humidity within a single, low-cost structure — a challenge that had long hindered progress in the field. Published in 2021 and garnering 45 citations, this work represents a notable advancement over prior designs that struggled to achieve concurrent multi-dimensional sensing without prohibitive system complexity. Building on earlier conference and journal iterations from 2020, Dai has demonstrated a consistent research trajectory focused on polyimide/copper/PVDF structured sensing platforms that balance performance with practical manufacturability. Their contributions are particularly relevant to human-robot interaction, where robots must safely and intelligently respond to environmental and physical stimuli. Though early in their career, Dai's growing citation record signals meaningful influence within the robotics and flexible electronics communities, with their 2021 flagship paper establishing a benchmark for future smart skin development.