Professor | NUS Singapore
Cecilia Laschi is best-known for her research in soft robotics, an area that she pioneered and contributed to develop at international level. She investigates fundamental challenges for building robots with soft materials, with a bioinspired approach which started with a study of the octopus as a model for robotics. She explores marine applications of soft robots and their use in the biomedical field, with a focus on eldercare. She has worked in humanoid and neuro-robotics, applying brain models in humanoid robots.
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Matteo Lo Preti is a Postdoctoral Researcher at NUS and previously worked at the Soft BioRobotics Perception lab (IIT, Italy).He completed his Ph.D. in BioRobotics at Scuola Superiore Sant' Anna in 2023 and was a visiting Ph.D. student at the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (EPFL, CH). He obtained his B.Sc. degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Pisa in 2017, followed by an M.Sc. degree in Bionics Engineering from the University of Pisa jointly Scuola Superiore Sant' Anna in 2019. His research focuses on advancing soft sensing technologies for tactile-driven intelligent systems.
I am from Pakistan. I am currently working as a PostDoc at NUS. I did my PhD in Biorobotics (Oct 2020 - Mar 2024) from The Biorobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Italy under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Fellowship on imitative and adaptive real-time control of soft robots via machine learning strategies. Before that, I did my Master’s in Advanced Robotics Plus (EMARO+) under the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree (EMJMD) program (2018-2020) with first year in Warsaw University of Technology in Poland and second year in Ecole Centrale de Nantes in France. For my Master’s thesis, I worked in Team RAINBOW, Inria/IRISA in France on deep learning-based control system for a team of drones.
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I have completed my Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Indore. My Research Interests include Mechatronics, Soft robotics, Bio-inspired Robotics, Shape Memory Alloy, and Smart Materials.
Peiyi Wang is now a post-doc at NUS from March 2024. Before that, he obtained his bachelor’s and Ph.D degrees in mechatronics and mechanical engineering from Beijing Jiaotong University in 2018 and 2024, respectively. He was a visiting PhD student at NUS supervised by Prof. Cecilia Laschi from 2021 to 2023. Wang’s research interests include soft continuum robots and wearable robotics.
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Zhexin Xie works as a post-doc, his research interests include bioinspired robots, flexible electronics, and stiffness-changing robots. He emphasizes on bio-inspired actuation and structures, for example, octopus arm-like robot, integratable soft sensing, and application of soft robots. Prior to this, he received his bachelor's and Ph.D. degrees from Beihang University in 2016 and 2021, respectively.
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I am now a postdoc at NUS starting from October, 2021 and before that I obtained my Ph.D. from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in August, 2021 and bachelor from Chongqing University in June, 2017. My research is focused on robot learning and control, soft robots, and rehabilitation robots. The objective is to make intelligent and human-friendly robots.
Born in 1998 and hailing from Hunan, China, I completed my undergraduate and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. My master's thesis was titled "Research on Flexible Six-axis Force Sensor for Curved Surface Sensing of Climbing Robot". In addition, I possess considerable skills in circuit design and embedded system development. During my PhD, my research focuses on the design and control of soft robots related to healthcare.
I am from Chongqing, China. I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees from Chongqing University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, respectively. My research interests revolve around 3D printing, soft robots, electronics-free design, and embodied intelligence. Currently, my research aims to establish an autonomous soft robot system. I am working on replacing electronics with mechanical structures, such as logical gates, and soft valves.
I'm a Ph.D. student at Southeast University, Nanjing, China, majoring in Structural Engineering. I completed my undergraduate and master's degrees at China University of Geosciences and Beijing Jiaotong University, respectively.
I am currently a visiting Ph.D. student here (03.2023-03.2025). My research interests center around origami marine robots, soft bistable mechanisms, and non-flat-foldable origami structures. Specifically, my Ph.D. project explores the application of soft bistable mechanisms inspired by origami in robotics.
Hui Fang is a PhD President's Graduate Fellowship candidate. She graduated with Highest Distinction in BEng (Mechanical Engineering) from Nanyang Technological University Singapore, specializing in Robotics and Mechatronics. Her current research ventures into the field of soft robotics, with a keen focus on developing artificial organs for the digestive system. This work aims to significantly benefit both the scientific community and the general public. During her free time, she enjoys sports and hunting delicious delicacies in Singapore!
Yiyuan Zhang is currently pursuing his Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. Cecilia Laschi at the Soft Robotics Lab, National University of Singapore. He earned his B.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Beihang University in 2022, receiving recognition with Beijing Outstanding Graduate Honors. Yiyuan's research topics include bio-inspired robotics/soft robotics design with embodied intelligence, especially focusing on the reaching motion of octopus-inspired arms. His previous co-first authored paper about the remora-inspired suction disc has been published in Science Robotics and highlighted by Science Magazine and other media.
Yuchen is a PhD student at National University of Singapore, currently engaged in research at the Soft Robotics Lab. Her focus is on computational mechanics and reduced modeling in soft robotics. Before joining the Soft Robotics Lab, Yuchen gained valuable experience in origami robotics, and obtained dual master's degree in robotics and computer science from University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, Yuchen obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Jilin University. At the Soft Robotics lab, Yuchen is actively involved in developing reduced-order model for general soft manipulator in REBOT project, and multi-scale and multi-physics computational biomechanics models of Octopus arm in DESTRO project.
I am a first year PhD student graduated from the National University of Singapore. My research focus is in distributed soft robotics control. My research interests span a wide spectrum, ranging from bio-inspired robotics to the domain of underwater autonomous vehicles, with a particular emphasis on robot control and navigation.
Qin Zhihang is currently pursuing his Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. Cecilia Laschi in the Soft Robotics Lab at the National University of Singapore. He obtained his B.Eng. degree in Engineering Mechanics at Tongji University in 2019. He obtained his M.Eng. degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the National University of Singapore in 2022. He is now focusing on the research topic of biodegradable underwater robotics that contains bio-inspired mechanical structure design/analysis for robotics/soft robotics, DIW 3D printing, and biodegradable materials.
Wenci received the B.Eng. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, in 2019, the M.Phil. degree in Surgery from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, in 2021. He starts working toward the Ph.D. degree thereafter focusing on the octopus-inspired embodied intelligence design in the soft robotics group.
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Huang Huishi is currently pursuing her Ph.D. degree under the joint supervision of Prof. Marcelo Ang and Prof. Cecilia LASCHI. She received her B.Sc. degree from Beijing Institute of Technology in 2021 and her M.Sc. degree from University College London in 2022. She is interested in the integration of AI-combined algorithms for biomimetic soft robot control and advanced grasping strategies.
Ng Hong Wei is a research assistant in the Soft Robotics Lab at the National University of Singapore, working under Prof. Cecilia Laschi. He obtained his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Newcastle in 2024, graduating with first-class honors. His research focuses on bio-inspired and soft robotics, particularly on designing an octopus-inspired grasping arm.
Sharun Arumugam is a Research Engineer at the Soft Robotics Lab, working under the esteemed guidance of Prof. Cecilia Laschi and co-supervised by Prof. Gianmarco Mengaldo. His current research focuses on developing Fluid-Solid Interaction models for the REBOT project and creating Fluid Dynamics code for the Lifex-CFD solver in the DESTRO project, both pivotal for advancing soft robotic applications. Prior to his current role, Sharun contributed significantly to the development of a Lunar Rover at the Space Systems Research Group, University of Manchester, where he developed the Discrete Element Method framework for lunar regolith extraction and particle-interaction simulation analysis. Additionally, he worked on optical flow diagnostics in the Hypersonic Aerothermodynamic Laboratory Testing (Mach 6 High-speed Wind Tunnel) sponsored by AIRBUS. Sharun holds a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Manchester, UK, and a Bachelor of Technology from BSA Crescent University, Chennai, India. He is an Associate Member of The Royal Aeronautical Society and a Member of the International Institute of Engineers. Sharun also co-authored a book chapter titled "Edge AI-based Aerial Monitoring," published by CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group.
I did my bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, with a minor in applied physics from NTU, Singapore. Currently I am a second year Masters (research) student, and am working on a few different topics in soft robotics- multiphysics modelling and simulation, computer vision and fluid dynamics for soft robotics- all pertaining to the versatile octopus. I am interested in understanding the underlying biology of octopus arms, and then through analysis translate those biological properties into soft robotic applications.
I wish to gain and use knowledge on soft robotics to aid in advancing medical/surgical devices and healthcare for everyone. I strongly believe that we all have the power to change society for the better, through a curiosity-driven pursuit of bringing about societal betterment. I also play tennis for the varsity, and I love to read all genres of books, and am very interested in politics and political theory, both local and global.
I'm Cyril Aoun from Lebanon. I earned a double degree at the National University of Singapore, where I pursued a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering with a second major in Innovation and Design. Additionally, I attended the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech in France, where I achieved an Engineering Diploma in Mechanical and Materials Engineering. Currently, I am pursuing a Master of Engineering by research at the National University of Singapore. Professor Laschi, along with her team, graciously welcomed me into the soft robotics lab, where I am dedicated to studying the significance of compliant palms in anthropomorphic robot hands. Beyond my research, I enjoy traveling, reading books, and engaging in sports.