Yulan Ju

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Yulan Ju is a researcher at the forefront of human-robot interaction, with a focus on soft, bio-inspired robotics that prioritize safety and natural physical engagement. Her work reimagines aerial robots as gentle, approachable companions, moving away from rigid, propeller-driven designs toward lighter-than-air, flapping-wing systems. Ju’s most cited paper, "Cuddle-Fish: Exploring a Soft Floating Robot with Flapping Wings for Physical Interactions" (2025, 3 citations), introduces a novel soft robot that combines the buoyancy of a helium-filled body with silent, flapping-wing propulsion. This design enables touch-safe, quiet, and visually calming interactions—a significant departure from conventional drones. By drawing inspiration from animal movement, Ju addresses critical safety and noise barriers in aerial robotics, opening new possibilities for applications in therapy, education, and domestic companionship. Her contributions are particularly notable for bridging soft robotics and biomimicry, offering a tangible path toward robots that can coexist safely and comfortably with humans. As an emerging voice in the field, Ju’s work is already shaping conversations around the future of physically interactive robotics.