About

Yayi Shen is a pioneering robotics researcher whose work bridges biomimetic design, amphibious locomotion, and surgical mechanism engineering. Shen’s core contributions center on developing bio-inspired robotic systems that emulate the propulsion and maneuverability of aquatic animals—particularly penguins, sea turtles, and ocean sunfish—to achieve efficient, multi-modal movement in complex environments. Their highly cited 2020 study on a biomimetic robotic penguin wing (36 citations) established foundational thrust characteristics for flapping-wing aquatic robots, while subsequent work on sweepback angle effects and coordinated dual-fin actuation has refined these designs for real-world deployment. Shen also advanced amphibious robotics through the eccentric paddle mechanism (ePaddle), enabling wheel-paddle integrated quadruped robots to transition seamlessly between land and water—a concept verified in multiple experimental studies (14–16 citations). Beyond aquatic systems, Shen has contributed to medical robotics with a novel three-rhombus remote center of motion mechanism for minimally invasive surgery. With over 130 total citations and recent publications in 2024–2025 exploring functional fluid actuation and hydrofoil propulsion, Shen continues to push the boundaries of adaptive, nature-inspired robotics, offering students and researchers a compelling model of how biological principles can drive engineering innovation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

7
H-Index
16
Papers
149
Total Citations
9
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Biomimetic Realization of a Robotic Penguin Wing: Design and Thrust Characteristics
36 citations · 2020
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2023 (4 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 37
🏛 Institutions: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shanghai University

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago