How Huazhi Dong’s groundbreaking research could make soft robots safer, smarter, and more human-aware
Huazhi Dong, winner of the IET Postgraduate Research Award, shares how his work is helping soft robots become more aware, autonomous, and safe - and why now is the time for other researchers to apply.
Huazhi presenting his award-winning research on soft robotics.
Can you tell us a bit about your research and what inspired you to pursue this area of robotics?
My research is all about helping soft robots better understand their own bodies and surroundings. I’m developing a kind of flexible “electronic skin” that lets these robots feel when they’re being touched and sense how their shape is changing as they move.
This gives them a kind of full-body awareness - so instead of just reacting blindly, they can respond to the world around them with the kind of sensitivity and accuracy you'd expect from a living creature.
I was drawn to soft robotics because, while these robots are great at working in delicate and risky environments - like surgery, underwater exploration, or helping people - they still have a major weakness: they can’t fully sense what’s happening to their own bodies. They’re flexible and safe to use around humans, but they don’t really “know” when or where they’re being touched, or how their shape is changing as they move.
Huazhi’s research station.
That’s a major limitation if we want them to make smart decisions on their own. If a soft robot is going to grasp a human arm in a rescue scenario, it needs to know both “am I pressing too hard right here?” and “what is my global body configuration right now?” - but current technology can’t give it that kind of awareness. That’s the challenge I’m working to solve.
What does winning the IET Postgraduate Research Award mean to you?
It’s a huge honour - and a responsibility. Personally, it’s a strong validation that the community sees value in what I’m trying to achieve. Knowing that experts in the field consider this direction important reinforces my commitment to push it further.
What impact do you hope your research will have?
Huazhi (pictured on the right) and his colleagues explore how soft robots can better understand their own bodies.
I hope my research helps make full-body awareness a standard feature in soft robots - not just something we show off in a lab. I’m working on a system that lets robots feel where they’re being touched and understand how their bodies are moving, all at once and in real time.
But beyond the technology, I care deeply about safety and how robots interact with people. If a robot is going to help a patient or support an elderly person, it needs to be aware of what it’s doing - not just physically gentle, but smart and responsive. My long-term goal is for people to trust soft robots not just because they’re soft, but because they’re truly aware of their actions.
What advice would you give to other postgraduate researchers considering applying for the award?
Be brave and apply! Show what’s unique about your work - not just that it works, but why it matters. Tell a clear story about the problem you’re solving and how your research moves the field forward.
Applications for the 2026 IET Postgraduate Research Awards are now open. We have seven awards available of up to £10,000. The deadline to apply closes on 2 April 2026. If you're a postgraduate researcher with impactful work, we encourage you to learn more and apply here.