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About

Jihong Yan is a robotics researcher whose work spans two deeply interconnected domains: biomimetic locomotion systems and soft robotics. Drawing inspiration from nature, Yan has made significant contributions to understanding and replicating the remarkable capabilities of water striders, producing multiple influential studies on surface tension-driven robots that mimic these insects' ability to walk, row, and jump on water surfaces — work that has collectively garnered over 120 citations. His 2014 development of a bionic hexapod robot for unstructured terrain navigation (59 citations) further demonstrates his expertise in legged locomotion systems. In parallel, Yan has emerged as a notable contributor to soft robotics, designing innovative actuators that address fundamental challenges in the field. His 2018 spiral-type inflatable torsional soft actuator (81 citations) represents his most impactful contribution, tackling the complex kinematic modeling difficulties inherent in flexible materials. Subsequent work on variable-stiffness soft actuators — including designs inspired by deep-sea glass sponges and hybrid gas-ribbon-driven fingers — reflects his commitment to solving the longstanding compliance-versus-rigidity trade-off in soft robotic systems. Across more than a decade of research, Yan's portfolio reveals a consistent philosophy: leveraging biological intelligence to engineer more adaptive, resilient robotic systems.