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About

Piqi Hou is a robotics researcher whose work centers on bio-inspired underwater locomotion, with a particular focus on robotic fish systems driven by advanced actuation technologies. Hou has made significant contributions to the development of aquatic robots that mimic the natural swimming mechanics of fish, leveraging ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC) materials as soft actuators to enable flexible, efficient propulsion. Their 2017 paper on 2D maneuverable robotic fish propelled by multiple IPMC artificial fins has garnered 41 citations, establishing foundational principles for multi-fin underwater mobility. Building on this, Hou introduced a novel hybrid tail design combining servo motors with IPMC actuators, a concept explored in both a 2019 study (35 citations) and a complementary 2018 modeling paper. This hybrid approach elegantly merges the reliability of rigid mechanical joints with the compliance of soft actuators, advancing the field's understanding of how biological swimming efficiency can be replicated in engineered systems. Across their body of work, Hou has accumulated over 80 citations, reflecting meaningful scholarly impact in soft robotics and underwater vehicle design — research with promising implications for ocean exploration, environmental monitoring, and bio-inspired engineering.