Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Xia He is pioneering the frontier of soft robotics for extreme environments, with a focus on bioinspired design for deep-sea exploration and manipulation. His major contributions lie in developing sensorized, deformable robotic systems that mimic biological organisms, enabling delicate interaction with fragile deep-sea specimens and artifacts. He is best known for his highly cited work on an octopus-inspired soft arm (262 citations), which demonstrated how bend propagation and embedded sensing can achieve robust grasping with minimal control inputs—a paradigm shift for robotic manipulation. He has also introduced a miniature deep-sea morphable robot with multimodal locomotion (50 citations), showcasing a centimeter-scale soft actuator capable of navigating the abyss. His wearable soft gripper for deep-sea manipulation, utilizing nitinol-embedded fibers, and a biomimetic adhesive disc inspired by net-winged midge larvae further highlight his talent for translating biological principles into practical, high-performance tools. With force estimation and interactive capabilities integrated into his sensorized grippers, He’s work is enabling a new generation of nondestructive, dexterous robots for ocean science, artifact recovery, and beyond.