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About

Ziang Li is an emerging researcher whose work sits at the intersection of human-robot interaction, assistive robotics, and autonomous systems, with a particular focus on improving mobility and independence for blind and low vision (BLV) individuals. Li's most influential contribution, *"I am the follower, also the boss"* (2023, 29 citations), systematically examines how different levels of robot autonomy and physical forms — from canes to car-like robots — affect the guidance experience for BLV users, offering critical design insights for the field. Complementing this, Li's investigations into quadruped guide robots (2022–2023, accumulating 15 citations) pioneer participatory design methodologies that meaningfully incorporate BLV users into evaluating whether dog-like robots can serve as credible guide dog alternatives, balancing locomotion flexibility with emotional resonance. Beyond assistive technology, Li demonstrates breadth through contributions to multi-robot motion planning, proposing the A*-TEB algorithm (2025) to reconcile global and local planning conflicts in real-time environments. More recent work on imitation learning frameworks for robotic assembly further signals a expanding research portfolio. With nearly 50 citations concentrated in just a few years, Li is rapidly establishing a distinctive voice in accessible, human-centered robotics.