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About

Matthias Wieland is a rising leader in the field of soft robotics and smart materials, with a focus on bioinspired actuation and reconfigurable systems. His research bridges fundamental mechanics and applied device design, particularly in the development of magnetically actuated continuum robots and humidity-responsive polymer actuators. Wieland’s most cited work, “Self-folding soft-robotic chains with reconfigurable shapes and functionalities” (2023, 100 citations), introduces soft robotic chains that can actively steer under magnetic fields, enabling minimally invasive interventions in complex biological environments—a significant advance for surgical robotics. He also contributed to the highly regarded study “From Understanding Mechanical Behavior to Curvature Prediction of Humidity‐Triggered Bilayer Actuators” (2021, 73 citations), where he and his team developed predictive models for bilayer actuators inspired by resurrection plants, achieving autonomous shape change with full mechanical recovery. This work, featured as a cover article in *Advanced Materials*, demonstrates Wieland’s ability to translate natural mechanisms into functional devices. With a growing citation record and interdisciplinary impact, Wieland is shaping the next generation of adaptive, soft robotic tools for medical and environmental applications.