Jonghyun Ha

Seoul National University, Ajou University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Papers

Total Citations

476

H-Index

About

Jonghyun Ha is a pioneering researcher in bioinspired soft robotics and microactuation systems, with a particular focus on harnessing environmental energy for autonomous movement. His most impactful contribution is the development of the "Hygrobot"—a self-locomotive ratcheted actuator powered solely by environmental humidity. This groundbreaking work, published in 2018 and garnering over 460 citations, demonstrated a biologically inspired bilayer structure that enables microrobots to move without any artificial power input, opening transformative possibilities for medical, military, and industrial applications where agility and autonomy are paramount. Ha's research extends into plant-inspired soft systems, where he has developed polymer precipitates that mimic tip-growing plant cells with structurally embedded multistimuli sensing abilities. This work, along with his investigations into small-scale robots inspired by aquatic interfacial biolocomotion and polymorphic display systems controlled by capillarity, showcases his commitment to creating soft, responsive materials that can sense, grow, and adapt. By integrating principles from biology, materials science, and robotics, Ha is advancing the frontier of autonomous soft machines that operate in challenging environments, making him a leading voice in the next generation of bioinspired robotics.