Dekuan Zhu

Tsinghua–Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, University Town of Shenzhen

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About

Dekuan Zhu is pioneering the intersection of soft robotics and energy harvesting, with a focus on creating self-powered, versatile machines that can navigate complex environments. His key research areas include triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), piezoelectric soft robots, and bioinspired locomotion. Zhu’s major contributions include the development of a self-powered bionic antenna for micro-robotic tactile sensing (40 citations), which enables robots to perceive their surroundings without external power. He also created PiezoClimber, a versatile soft robot with bioinspired directional footpads that can transition between surfaces and climb rough terrains (31 citations). His work on piezoelectric soft robots driven by mechanical energy (18 citations) addresses the grand challenge of power sources in soft robotics, demonstrating how TENGs can provide low-cost, resilient energy solutions. Zhu’s innovations are notable for their practical applications in exploration, inspection, and search-and-rescue missions, where autonomous, self-sufficient robots are critical. His research is shaping the future of adaptive, energy-autonomous robotics.