Papers
13
Total Citations
372
H-Index
8
About
Shixin Mao is a robotics researcher whose work spans soft robotics, bioinspired locomotion, and intelligent robotic systems. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering contributions to starfish-inspired soft robots, developing a series of platforms that replicate the multi-gait locomotion of real starfish using shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators. His foundational 2014 paper on gait study and pattern generation of a starfish-like soft robot has accumulated 128 citations, establishing him as a leading voice in SMA-driven soft robotics. His subsequent work on the Soft and Smart Modular Structure (SMS) framework further demonstrated how biologically derived design principles could yield versatile, adaptable robotic platforms, earning an additional 90 citations. Beyond soft bioinspired systems, Mao has broadened his research into wearable sensing technologies, developing novel center-of-mass and center-of-pressure estimation methods using visual odometry to support exoskeleton and prosthetic applications. More recently, he has explored climbing robotics, designing compact magnetic grippers and wheel-leg hybrid systems for enhanced mobility on complex surfaces. His diverse body of work, spanning bionic design, locomotion analysis, and rehabilitation-oriented sensing, reflects a researcher consistently bridging biological inspiration with practical engineering innovation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7A new soft bionic starfish robot with multi-gaits16 citations · 2013
- 8
- 9
- 10DESIGN AND GAIT ANALYSIS OF A TORTOISE-LIKE ROBOT WITH SOFT LIMBS8 citations · 2015