Pengfei Yao

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Pengfei Yao is a researcher focused on advancing soft robotics and agricultural automation, with a particular emphasis on bio-inspired design and pneumatic actuation. His work bridges the gap between flexible robotic systems and practical applications in agriculture, where adaptability and safety are paramount. Yao’s most cited paper, “Flexible pneumatic end-effector for agricultural robot: Design & Experiment” (2015, 14 citations), introduces a novel end-effector based on a Flexible Pneumatic Actuator (FPA). This design uniquely combines contact rigidity with grasping flexibility, addressing the challenge of handling delicate, variable-shaped agricultural objects. Building on this, his 2018 study “Bending and Wrinkled Model Research of a Soft Robot Inspired by Octopus” (6 citations) proposes a concise numerical analysis method for modeling the bending and wrinkling behavior of soft, octopus-inspired robots. This work provides a foundational mapping between geometry and motion, enabling more predictable control of soft actuators. Though his citation counts are modest, Yao’s contributions are notable for their practical engineering focus, offering scalable solutions for non-destructive grasping and soft robot modeling—key steps toward more intelligent, safe human-robot interaction in field environments.