Dr. Xinge YU

Award Citation

For his development of soft and bio-integrated electronics with active feedback functions for medical applications and human machine interfaces, which focuses on solving the current limitations of dull sending/actuation modes, accuracy issues and integration complicity in soft electronics. Prof. Xinge Yu’s team for the first time developed a thin, skin-like, wireless haptic system that expand virtual reality (VR) from traditional visual or auditory experience to sense of touching. This system is also referred to as “skin VR”, where the haptic interface mounted on the skin can create a sense of touch via a programmable array of mechanical vibrating actuators. The system is completely battery free, where the power is provided by RF input. With such system, video chatting with virtually touch between friends and family members from different places will become true. Applications in tactile feedback for use of robotic prosthesis is possible, where lower-arm amputee people can sense a virtual haptic representation on the upper arm via the VR device. Then, Prof. Xinge Yu’s team expended the skin-integrated electronic for human machine interface with tactile sensing, controlling, and actuation system that can in real time detect human body motions, send the sensor recorded signals as commend to control robots, and get tactile feedback information via the haptic system to allow human experiencing the external stimuli of the robot, which was also called “Robotic VR”. The system shows great potential in the applications of robot manipulation, surgical robots, and intelligent nursing.