Mihai Duduta

About

Mihai Duduta is a pioneering robotics and materials engineer whose research sits at the intersection of soft robotics, smart materials, and autonomous systems. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), soft electromechanical devices that mimic the strength and flexibility of biological muscle while remaining fully electrically driven. His landmark 2019 paper, "Realizing the Potential of Dielectric Elastomer Artificial Muscles," has accumulated over 420 citations and demonstrated that fully soft, high-performance artificial muscles are achievable — a significant milestone for human-safe robotics. Building on this foundation, Duduta has developed a remarkable portfolio of DEA-powered systems, including high-speed crawling robots, bio-inspired underwater vehicles, multimodal locomotion platforms, and compliant jumping mechanisms. His 2017 work on multilayer DEA fabrication, cited nearly 150 times, elegantly eliminated the need for rigid pre-stretch components, dramatically simplifying soft robot construction. Beyond actuation, Duduta has contributed to enabling technologies such as ultra-lightweight lithium-ion batteries for untethered microrobots and flexible electroadhesive systems. More recently, he has explored bio-inspired underwater propulsion through cephalopod-mimicking designs. Across his career, Duduta's research has consistently pushed soft robotics closer to practical, real-world deployment.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Realizing the potential of dielectric elastomer artificial muscles

   422 citations · 2019
2. 2
   A high speed soft robot based on dielectric elastomer actuators

   147 citations · 2017
3. 3
   A Modular Dielectric Elastomer Actuator to Drive Miniature Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

   82 citations · 2018
4. 4
   Tunable Multi-Modal Locomotion in Soft Dielectric Elastomer Robots

   75 citations · 2020
5. 5
   Electrically-latched compliant jumping mechanism based on a dielectric elastomer actuator

   39 citations · 2019
6. 6
   Ultra‐Lightweight, High Power Density Lithium‐Ion Batteries

   30 citations · 2018
7. 7
   Real time high voltage capacitance for rapid evaluation of dielectric elastomer actuators

   13 citations · 2022
8. 8
   A Small Steerable Tip Based on Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

   12 citations · 2023
9. 9
   Flexible, stretchable electroadhesives based on acrylic elastomers

   7 citations · 2016
10. 10
    RoboNautilus: a cephalopod-inspired soft robotic siphon for underwater propulsion

    5 citations · 2025

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links