Zhike Peng

About

Zhike Peng is a pioneering researcher in soft robotics and smart materials, with a particular focus on dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) and their application in electrically driven robotic systems. His work has fundamentally advanced the field of compliant, lightweight robotic locomotion — most notably through his development of the fast rolling soft robot (RSR), which garnered 127 citations and demonstrated that fully flexible robots could achieve remarkable mobility through novel multisegment dielectric elastomer minimum energy structures. Peng has made significant contributions to variable stiffness mechanisms, drawing inspiration from biological systems such as monocot leaf habits to engineer actuators capable of large, tunable load capacities. His research consistently addresses one of soft robotics' central challenges: bridging the speed and performance gap between soft and rigid robots. Beyond locomotion, Peng has expanded into multidimensional tactile sensing via triboelectric sensors, advanced 4D-printed liquid crystal elastomers for reversible 3D morphing, and bistable structural designs. With over 330 cumulative citations across his most recognized works, his contributions represent a cohesive and impactful body of research that continues to shape the future of intelligent, adaptive soft robotic systems.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A Fast Rolling Soft Robot Driven by Dielectric Elastomer

   127 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Electrically Activated Soft Robots: Speed Up by Rolling

   50 citations · 2020
3. 3
   Multisegment annular dielectric elastomer actuators for soft robots

   33 citations · 2018
4. 4
   A novel variable stiffness mechanism for dielectric elastomer actuators

   32 citations · 2017
5. 5
   Bioinspired Variable Stiffness Dielectric Elastomer Actuators with Large and Tunable Load Capacity

   29 citations · 2019
6. 6
   Model-driven triboelectric sensors for multidimensional tactile perception

   22 citations · 2023
7. 7
   Asymmetry bistability for a coupled dielectric elastomer minimum energy structure

   13 citations · 2016
8. 8
   Electrostatic field induced coupling actuation mechanism for dielectric elastomer actuators

   12 citations · 2020
9. 9
   Spatiotemporally programmed dielectric liquid crystal elastomer: Electro-reversible 3D morphing via inverse 4D printing

   11 citations · 2025
10. 10
    Performance improvement of planar dielectric elastomer actuators by magnetic modulating mechanism

    7 citations · 2018

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links