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About

Yee Harn Teh is a pioneering researcher in the field of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, with a focused expertise in enhancing their dynamic performance for robotic applications. Her major contributions center on overcoming the inherent speed limitations of SMA actuators, a critical barrier to their practical use in motion control. In her most influential work, "Improving the Speed of Shape Memory Alloy Actuators by Faster Electrical Heating" (2006, 68 citations), Teh demonstrated novel heating strategies that significantly accelerated actuator response, laying the groundwork for more agile robotic systems. She further advanced the field by investigating the audio frequency response of SMA wires, experimentally characterizing their behavior at heating frequencies up to 2 kHz—a groundbreaking achievement detailed in her 2005 study (4 citations). This work served as a crucial prelude to developing sophisticated motion controllers. Additionally, her experiments on a 2-DOF pantograph robot actuated by SMA wires (2004, 9 citations) showcased practical implementation. Teh’s research remains highly cited for its foundational insights into SMA actuation speed and control, inspiring subsequent innovations in soft robotics and adaptive structures.