Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Jongsoo Choi is a leading figure in the emerging field of millimeter-scale robotics, where his work bridges the gap between micro-fabrication and dynamic locomotion. His research centers on the design, fabrication, and control of insect-inspired microrobots, with a particular focus on integrating thin-film piezoelectric (PZT) actuators with high-aspect-ratio polymer structures. Choi’s major contributions include pioneering the development of silicon-based hexapod microrobots with a mere 5 mm × 2 mm footprint. His 2017 paper on “Thin-film piezoelectric and high-aspect ratio polymer leg mechanisms” (26 citations) established a foundational fabrication process, while his dynamic structural and contact modeling work (17 citations) provided critical insights into how these tiny robots interact with their environment. By enabling large rotational motions at low voltages while maintaining substantial weight-bearing capacity, Choi’s microactuation units have set new benchmarks for performance in autonomous microsystems. His research is not only advancing the fundamental understanding of dynamics at the millimeter scale but also paving the way for applications in search-and-rescue, environmental monitoring, and medical devices.