Yijie Gong

Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Yijie Gong is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of telerobotics, haptic feedback, and construction automation. Their work addresses a critical bottleneck in remote construction: the over-reliance on visual feedback, which fails in low-visibility or stiff-contact scenarios. Gong’s key contribution is the development of naturalistic vibrotactile feedback systems, most notably the “AiroTouch” framework, which transmits tool vibrations to the operator’s hand. This innovation dramatically enhances an operator’s ability to sense contact forces and material interactions, enabling precise telerobotic assembly of prefabricated building components. Their research, published in 2023 and 2024, has already garnered over 11 citations, signaling strong early impact in the robotics and construction communities. Gong’s work is not only advancing the safety and efficiency of construction sites—where workers can now control powerful machines from a distance—but also laying the groundwork for future autonomous construction robots that require human monitoring. By proving that economical, reliable haptic feedback can fill a critical perception gap, Yijie Gong is helping to shape a future where construction is safer, faster, and more precise.