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About

Huikai Xie is a prominent researcher specializing in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and their applications in sensing, robotics, and optical scanning technologies. His work sits at the intersection of MEMS device engineering, LiDAR systems, and advanced sensing, where he has made substantial contributions to miniaturizing and improving the performance of optical and inertial sensors. Xie is perhaps best known for his pioneering development of electrothermal MEMS mirrors for LiDAR applications, enabling compact, low-cost 3D scanning systems suitable for robotics and autonomous vehicles. His 2021 paper on miniature LiDAR for micro-robotics (45 citations) demonstrated that bird- and insect-scale robots could be equipped with functional ranging sensors — a remarkable engineering achievement. Complementary work on omnidirectional scanners, forward-view monolithic scanners, and large-aperture 2-axis mirrors further established his group as leaders in MEMS-based LiDAR design. Beyond optical systems, Xie has contributed to adaptive depth sensing algorithms, directional time-of-flight ranging, high-sensitivity magnetic tactile sensors, and triaxial MEMS gyroscopes, reflecting a broad and versatile research portfolio. With dozens of citations across multiple high-impact papers, his work continues to shape next-generation sensing platforms for robotics, autonomous systems, and human-machine interaction.