Shaoyang Yan

Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Shaoyang Yan is a rising innovator in the field of soft robotics, with a research focus on bio-inspired actuation, self-sensing mechanisms, and reconfigurable grasping systems. Their work centers on integrating origami-inspired designs—such as Miura and Kresling patterns—into soft actuators, enabling unprecedented combinations of compliance, tunability, and sensory feedback. Yan’s most-cited paper, “Self-Sensing Origami-Inspired Soft Twisting Actuators and Its Application in Soft Robots” (2023, 15 citations), addresses a critical challenge in human-robot interaction by embedding sensing directly into compliant structures, eliminating the need for external sensors. This work has laid the foundation for safer, more intuitive robotic systems. Subsequent contributions include a sensorized soft robotic finger with pre-charged pulp (2024) and an origami actuator with a tunable limiting layer for reconfigurable grasping (2024), each advancing the state of the art in adaptive manipulation. Yan has also demonstrated system-level impact through the development of a quadrupedal soft robot powered by Kresling origami actuators (2023). With a growing citation footprint and a clear trajectory toward practical, sensor-rich soft robots, Yan’s research is shaping the next generation of compliant, intelligent machines for real-world applications.