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About

Haiying Yao is a rising leader in bioinspired soft robotics, specializing in the design of intelligent, self-sensing actuators and locomotion systems. Her research focuses on developing soft robots that mimic biological organisms—particularly inchworms—to achieve controllable, bidirectional crawling in confined spaces. Yao’s major contributions include the creation of an inchworm-inspired soft robot that integrates self-sensing of deformation for precise gait control, a breakthrough published in 2024 that has already garnered 18 citations. She further advanced this work with a bipedal crawling robot capable of forward and backward locomotion, specifically designed for operation in pipes and other restricted environments. Beyond locomotion, Yao has pioneered a liquid crystal elastomer-based flexible dexterous finger that combines deformation, tactile, and proximity sensing—enabling robots to explore unknown spaces and handle fragile objects. Her work addresses a critical gap in soft robotics: the limited sensing capabilities of existing actuators. With a growing citation record and a clear trajectory toward practical applications in rescue, exploration, and medical fields, Haiying Yao is establishing herself as an innovator at the intersection of materials science, bionics, and intelligent robotics.