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About

Ziwei Liang is a rising star in soft robotics and intelligent materials, whose work bridges the gap between programmable actuation and advanced tactile perception. Her research centers on liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), hydrogel composites, and flexible tactile sensors, aiming to create soft machines that move and feel like living organisms. Liang's most impactful contribution is her 2023 study on "Rotini‐like MXene@LCE Actuators," which introduced a dual-mode synergy for diverse, programmable actuation—a breakthrough that has already garnered 24 citations for its potential to unlock multitasking in soft robotic systems. She also pioneered a novel flame-actuated soft actuator using a multilayer LCE/hydrogel composite, demonstrating how fire—an abundant but underexplored stimulus—can drive motion in emergency scenarios. In tactile sensing, Liang co-developed a high-performance flexible sensor for intelligent haptic perception in prosthetic hands (featured on the cover of *Advanced Materials Technologies* in 2019) and later engineered a 3D-assembled bionic tactile "skin" for soft machines, enabling contact sensing with exceptional adaptability. Her work, cited across materials science and robotics, is shaping the future of lifelike, responsive soft machines.