Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Zhi Ern Teoh is a pioneering roboticist whose work spans insect-scale aerial robotics and in situ marine exploration. His most influential contributions center on the development and control of flapping-wing microrobots, most notably the Harvard RoboBee—the first sub-100 mg robot capable of liftoff. Teoh solved the critical challenge of post-takeoff instability by introducing aerodynamic dampers that enable passive upright stability and altitude control, a breakthrough documented in his highly cited 2012 paper (99 citations). He further advanced the field by designing a differential angle-of-attack mechanism that allows a single actuator to generate bilateral asymmetry for controlled flight, and by bioinspired torque control strategies modeled after fruit flies. Beyond aerial robotics, Teoh has explored efficient jump-gliding theory and, in a striking interdisciplinary pivot, co-authored a 2024 paper on an in situ digital synthesis strategy for ocean life discovery, integrating underwater imaging, robotics, and genomic sequencing. His work demonstrates a rare ability to bridge fundamental biomechanics, practical microrobot design, and novel environmental sensing—earning him recognition as a key innovator in bioinspired robotics and marine technology.