Papers
14
Total Citations
298
H-Index
9
About
Xiaoxiang Zheng is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of neural engineering, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and rehabilitation robotics. His work spans two compelling domains: the development of animal-robot hybrid systems and the engineering of neurotechnology for clinical rehabilitation. Zheng's most celebrated contribution lies in the creation and refinement of "rat-robots" — living animals guided through brain stimulation via BCI systems. From early foundational work on automatic navigation models (2011) to sophisticated implementations using optogenetics and visual cues, his research has progressively reduced dependence on human operators while enhancing animal autonomy and navigational precision. His optogenetics-based control methods, exploring neural targets such as the ventral tegmental area and thalamic nuclei, represent a particularly innovative leap in the field. In rehabilitation engineering, Zheng developed a hybrid NMES-robot system for post-stroke upper limb recovery, addressing the critical challenge of muscular coordination deficits — his most-cited work with 68 citations. His interdisciplinary approach consistently integrates machine learning and optimization to advance real-world applicability. With cumulative citations exceeding 275 across his top papers, Zheng's research has meaningfully shaped both neuroprosthetics and biorobotics, offering transformative tools for both medical rehabilitation and autonomous bio-hybrid systems.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Visual Cue-Guided Rat Cyborg for Automatic Navigation [Research Frontier]41 citations · 2015
- 3
- 4
- 5Automatic navigation for rat-robots with modeling of the human guidance28 citations · 2013
- 6Using dlPAG-evoked immobile behavior in animal-robotics navigation17 citations · 2010
- 7
- 8Bio-robots automatic navigation with electrical reward stimulation13 citations · 2012
- 9
- 10An automatic control model for rat-robot9 citations · 2011