Kai Melde

Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Kai Melde is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of acoustics, micro-robotics, and soft matter engineering. His work focuses on harnessing acoustic energy to wirelessly power and control miniature devices, addressing one of the central challenges in microrobotics: the efficient transfer of power at sub-millimeter scales. Melde’s most influential contribution, "Active Acoustic Surfaces Enable the Propulsion of a Wireless Robot" (2017), with 23 citations, demonstrates how structured acoustic fields can generate precise forces to propel untethered robots without onboard batteries or motors. This breakthrough opens new avenues for biomedical applications, such as targeted drug delivery and minimally invasive surgery, where wireless operation deep within biological tissues is critical. In his earlier work, "Soft continuous microrobots with multiple intrinsic degrees of freedom" (2016, 6 citations), Melde explored the design of flexible, soft-bodied microrobots that can deform and move in complex ways, overcoming the rigidity limitations of traditional micro-actuators. Together, these studies establish Melde as a key innovator in acoustic actuation and soft robotics, offering scalable, wireless solutions for next-generation microsystems.