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About

Huimin Chen is a pioneering researcher in the field of insect-scale soft robotics, focusing on the intersection of biomechanics, materials science, and control systems. Their major contributions center on enabling unprecedented agility, power autonomy, and complex terrain traversal for untethered soft robots—a domain where traditional rigid structures fail. Chen’s most influential work, “Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control” (2021, 172 citations), introduced a curved piezoelectric thin film driven at structural resonance, achieving rapid, controlled movement without rigid supports. This breakthrough was extended in “Power Autonomy and Agility Control of an Untethered Insect-Scale Soft Robot” (2023, 21 citations), demonstrating fast translational and turning motions in a self-powered platform. Further, “Complex Three-Dimensional Terrains Traversal of Insect-Scale Soft Robot” (2022, 10 citations) showcased ring-like curved legs that mechanically adapt to uneven surfaces, enabling traversal of 3D obstacles. Chen’s latest work, “A repeated jumping solution based on the bistable film structure” (2024), tackles repeated jumping for miniature film-structured robots, expanding their capability to conquer challenging terrains. With over 200 total citations, Chen’s research is driving the next generation of agile, autonomous micro-robots for applications in search-and-rescue, environmental monitoring, and medical devices.