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About

Jiasi Gao is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of robotics, human-computer interaction, and STEM education. Her work centers on making robotics accessible and intuitive for children and non-experts, with a particular focus on tangible interfaces and tactile interaction. Gao’s major contributions include the development of TanTwin, a tangible twin robot system that uses deep neural networks to let children convert their own portraits into programmable robots, promoting STEM learning through self-replication. She also created LinkBricks, a construction kit that combines building blocks with a hierarchical programming framework, enabling young children to intuitively create and program interactive robots. In the realm of tactile interaction, Gao has advanced natural human-robot communication by designing large-format distributed flexible pressure sensors for robot dogs, and has developed novel spatio-temporal models for classifying actions from tactile signals—work with implications for healthcare and robotics. With over 18 citations across her key publications, Gao’s research is gaining recognition for its innovative blend of education, accessibility, and engineering. Her achievements include multiple conference presentations and a growing influence in child-robot interaction and wearable sensing.