Haizhou Zhao

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Tsinghua University

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Haizhou Zhao is at the forefront of bio-inspired robotics, focusing on the design, control, and learning of agile legged and wheel-legged systems. His work bridges mechanical innovation and intelligent control to push the boundaries of dynamic locomotion and manipulation. Zhao’s major contributions include the development of a bio-inspired wheeled bipedal robot that mimics the human barbell squat for enhanced dynamic performance, and a compact variable stiffness actuator (VSA) that overcomes traditional limitations in mechanical redundancy and stiffness range for energy-efficient legged locomotion. He has also pioneered an arm-constrained curriculum learning framework for wheel-legged robots, enabling stable and adaptive loco-manipulation in uncertain environments. With over 38 citations across his most-cited works in 2024 alone, Zhao’s research is rapidly gaining recognition for its practical impact on real-world robotic agility. His notable achievements include advancing both hardware and software co-design for versatile robots, making him a rising figure in the field of bio-inspired and legged robotics.