Na Ni

Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Beihang University

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Na Ni’s research sits at the exciting intersection of soft robotics, smart materials, and advanced sensing. Her primary contributions lie in developing novel dielectric elastomer (DE) sensors and soft tactile systems for applications ranging from healthcare to human-robot interaction. Her seminal 2017 work, “Dielectric Elastomer Sensors,” has garnered 27 citations and established a foundational framework for using these electroactive polymers—materials that change shape under an electric field—as highly sensitive, soft sensors and actuators. Building on this, Ni’s 2021 paper introduced an “Extra-Soft Tactile Sensor” that achieves remarkable force and displacement measurement with high linearity, a critical advance for delicate tasks like robotic palpation or prosthetic feedback. Earlier in her career, she also made notable contributions to control theory, designing non-fragile controllers for nonholonomic mobile robots, demonstrating a versatility that spans from theoretical control to practical soft device engineering. By merging material innovation with precise sensing, Na Ni is helping to create the next generation of compliant, intelligent machines that can safely interact with the human body and complex environments.