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About

Yan Heng Zhang is a pioneering researcher in the field of mobile robotics, with a primary focus on the design, dynamics, and control of spherical robots and pipe-inspection robots. His major contributions include advancing the understanding of underactuated mechanical systems through hierarchical sliding mode control for pendulum-driven spherical robots, and developing novel mechanisms for enhanced mobility, such as the two-mass-one-spring system that enables jumping motions to overcome vertical obstacles. Zhang’s work on the BYQ-III spherical robot includes rigorous dynamic modeling using constrained Lagrange methods and trajectory tracking control on inclined planes, demonstrating both theoretical depth and practical application. In pipe robotics, he optimized flexible squirm robots with brake wheels and flexible spring axles to improve adaptability and trafficability in straight and L-shaped pipes. Although his most-cited papers each have 2–5 citations, they represent foundational contributions in niche areas of spherical and pipe robotics, with the 2012 sliding mode control paper being his most recognized. Zhang’s research is particularly valuable for students and engineers working on non-conventional mobile robots, offering insights into control strategies for complex, constrained environments.