Yifan Ma

University of Science and Technology of China

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Yifan Ma is a rising researcher in soft robotics and bio-inspired actuation, whose work focuses on creating more compliant, human-like robotic systems. His primary research areas include twisted string actuators (TSAs), self-sensing mechanisms, and cable-driven dexterous hands. Ma’s major contribution is the development of self-sensing TSAs using conductive polymer composites, which eliminate the need for bulky external sensors while preserving actuator compliance—a critical step toward truly biomimetic motion. His most-cited paper, "A Self-sensing TSA-actuated Anthropomorphic Robot Hand" (2024, 4 citations), demonstrates this innovation in a complete hand system. In 2025, he advanced the field further with "Development of a Flexible Cable-Driven Dexterous Hand and Arm–Hand Integrated System" (1 citation), addressing the challenge of replicating human hand dynamics in cooperative robots. Though early in his career, Ma’s work has already garnered attention for its elegant integration of sensing and actuation. His research promises to enable safer, more intuitive human-robot interaction, particularly in applications requiring delicate manipulation and adaptive grasping.