Zexi Liang

Walker (United States), Cornell University

Papers

Total Citations

105

H-Index

About

Zexi Liang is pioneering the future of robotics at the intersection of energy autonomy and microscopic manipulation. His research focuses on two transformative frontiers: next-generation energy systems for untethered robots and magnetically controlled diffractive microbotics. In his highly cited 2022 work on "Next‐Generation Energy Harvesting and Storage Technologies for Robots Across All Scales" (62 citations), Liang systematically addresses the critical challenge of powering robots that must operate untethered in harsh, confined environments—from squeezing into small spaces to meandering through diverse terrains. He emphasizes that no universal solution exists, instead mapping a strategic path for integrating energy harvesting and storage across robotic form factors. More recently, in his 2024 breakthrough on "Magnetically programmed diffractive robotics" (43 citations), Liang introduces a revolutionary class of microscopic robots that operate at the visible-light diffraction limit. These microbots, controlled by magnetic fields, can manipulate light at the microscale, opening unprecedented avenues for probing the microscopic world. By merging energy innovation with optical-scale actuation, Liang is laying the groundwork for autonomous, self-powered robots that can see and interact with their environment at the most fundamental scales.