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About

Liwen He is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of soft robotics, electroactive polymers, and nonlinear mechanics. Their primary contributions lie in the modeling and analysis of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs)—flexible materials that deform under an electric field—with a particular focus on how pre-stretch, fiber reinforcement, and complex geometries influence performance. He’s most influential work, “Finite bending of a dielectric elastomer actuator and pre-stretch effects” (56 citations), provides a foundational framework for understanding how initial stretching can enhance actuation. Building on this, He has systematically explored torsional actuators, developing analytical solutions for fiber-reinforced tubular DEAs that can twist when voltage is applied, as seen in their 2017 paper (13 citations) and subsequent studies on electroactive thick tubes (9 citations). This work is notable for its rigorous variational approach, extending classical beam theory to account for thickness stretching and shear—a crucial step for designing more realistic soft structures. With over 115 total citations, He’s research offers essential tools for engineers aiming to create next-generation soft robots, adaptive optics, and biomedical devices that mimic natural muscle movement.