Jialei Shi

Research Associate at Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London .

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I received Ph.D. degree in Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering from the University College London, UK in February 2024. My research sits at the intersection of soft robotics, mechatronic system design and integration, and the development of fundamental models to better understand their behaviour — with a strong emphasis on healthcare applications such as minimally invasive surgery and haptic feedback systems.

I bring extensive hands-on experience in the design, modelling, and control of soft robotic systems, grounded in a solid foundation across mechanical and electronic engineering. My work has been recognized internationally, including selection as an RSS Pioneer (2024), receipt of the IEEE RA-L Outstanding Reviewer Award (2025). I (co)-authored multiple publications in leading robotics journals such as IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO), The International Journal of Robotics Research (IJRR), and IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (T-Mech).

I aim to bridge engineering innovation with translational clinical impact by developing cutting-edge and intelligent robotic platforms for next-generation medical technologies.

news

Oct 14, 2025 Two first-authored TRO papers in the same year! My second T-RO paper on soft continuum robot is accepted!
Jul 12, 2025 My paper on soft growing robot is accepted by the T-RO!
Jun 06, 2025 My Thesis is awarded as runner-up for the 2025 UCL Mechanical Engineering Outstanding PhD Thesis!
May 13, 2025 I receive IEEE RA-L Outstanding Reviewer Award (2025)!
Nov 20, 2024 I serve as Web/Social Media Chairs for RSS Pioneer 2025!

selected publications

  1. T-RO
    A static modelling and evaluation framework for soft continuum robots with reinforced chambers
    Jialei Shi, Hanyu Jin, Sara-Adela Abad, and 3 more authors
    IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2025
  2. T-RO
    Design, control and evaluation of a novel soft everting robot for colonoscopy
    Jialei Shi, Korn Borvorntanajanya, Kaiwen Chen, and 2 more authors
    IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2025
  3. T-Mech
    Model-based static compliance analysis and control for pneumatic-driven soft robots
    Jialei Shi, Sara-Adela Abad, Ge Shi, and 3 more authors
    IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 2025
  4. T-Mech
    Position and orientation control for hyperelastic multisegment continuum robots
    Jialei Shi, Sara-Adela Abad, Jian Sheng Dai, and 1 more author
    IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 2024
  5. IJRR
    Stiffness modelling and analysis of soft fluidic-driven robots using Lie theory
    Jialei Shi, Azadeh Shariati, Sara-Adela Abad, and 3 more authors
    The International Journal of Robotics Research, 2024