Yueri Cai

About

Yueri Cai is a robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of biomimetic engineering, underwater robotics, and autonomous navigation systems. Best known for pioneering the development of cownose ray-inspired robotic fish, Cai has spent over a decade translating the elegant hydrodynamics of batoid locomotion into functional underwater vehicles. His foundational 2010 paper on robotic fish imitating the cow-nosed ray (87 citations) launched a sustained research program exploring how oscillating pectoral fins can achieve efficient, maneuverable propulsion — work refined across numerous studies examining flexible fin design, chordwise twisting, tri-dimensional soft fins, and central pattern generator-based control (collectively accumulating hundreds of citations). His 2012 and 2018 contributions further advanced bionic fish design optimization and conceptual frameworks for biomimetic simplification. Beyond underwater robotics, Cai made a notable contribution to mobile robotics with DRE-SLAM (2019, 67 citations), a dynamic RGB-D encoder SLAM system addressing the critical challenge of localization in real-world non-static environments. With a citation record spanning foundational design, control algorithms, and autonomous navigation, Cai's research has meaningfully shaped both the theory and practice of biologically inspired robotic systems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Design and Experiments of a Robotic Fish Imitating Cow-Nosed Ray

   87 citations · 2010
2. 2
   DRE-SLAM: Dynamic RGB-D Encoder SLAM for a Differential-Drive Robot

   67 citations · 2019
3. 3
   CPG-fuzzy-based control of a cownose-ray-like fish robot

   51 citations · 2019
4. 4
   Design Optimization of a Bionic Fish with Multi-Joint Fin Rays

   45 citations · 2012
5. 5
   From Natural Complexity to Biomimetic Simplification: The Realization of Bionic Fish Inspired by the Cownose Ray

   42 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Improvement and testing of a robotic manta ray (RoMan-III)

   36 citations · 2011
7. 7
   Design of a robotic fish propelled by oscillating flexible pectoral foils

   36 citations · 2009
8. 8
   A biomimetic cownose ray robot fish with oscillating and chordwise twisting flexible pectoral fins

   34 citations · 2015
9. 9
   Design and Experimental Research on a Bionic Robot Fish with Tri-Dimensional Soft Pectoral Fins Inspired by Cownose Ray

   30 citations · 2022
10. 10
    Development and depth control of a robotic fish mimicking cownose ray

    26 citations · 2012

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links