Zhihua Niu
Papers
12
Total Citations
55
H-Index
5
About
Zhihua Niu is a leading researcher in legged robotics, specializing in sensorless perception, fault diagnosis, and advanced control for heavy-legged and wheel-legged robots. His most significant contributions address a critical challenge in the field: enabling robust robot operation with minimal or no physical sensors. Niu pioneered sensorless ground reaction force (GRF) observation frameworks for heavy-legged robots, eliminating the need for expensive and fragile force/torque sensors. His work on disturbance compensation and servo torque fault diagnosis—garnering over 10 citations in a single 2024 paper—allows heavy quadrupedal robots to maintain stability and detect mechanical failures using only motor current and IMU data. For wheel-legged robots, Niu developed cascade trajectory optimization and distributed MPC-based posture control, enabling seamless transitions between wheeled and legged motion while overcoming high obstacles. His novel error equivalence model for machine tool kinematics further demonstrates his versatility in precision engineering. With over 50 total citations across his top papers, Niu’s sensorless approaches are paving the way for more rugged, cost-effective, and autonomous legged robots in real-world industrial and transportation applications.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10