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I received my B. Eng. degree from Harbin Institute of Technology (2014), and my Ph. D. degree from Chinese University of Hong Kong (2018). I worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Chinese University of Hong Kong (2018 - 2019), and subsequently in University of Toronto (2019 - 2020). Currently I am an Assistant Professor in School of Science and Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. My research interests mainly locate in micro/nanorobotics and medical robotics. I have been extensively working in swarm control of micro/nanorobots, including their fundamental modelling, actuation strategy, motion and reconfiguration control, and biomedical applications. Since 2017, I have first-authored 7 top journal papers, including Nature Communications, IJRR, T-Ro, T-Mech, and ACS Nano. Several of my journal papers have been indexed as ESI highly cited papers, and have been highlighted in Science, Nature and international press reports, such as CNN. I have also published 1 monograph and several papers on well-renowned international conferences, including ICRA and IROS. I won several impactful awards, including Toshio Fukuda Best Paper Award in Mechatronics in IEEE ARM 2020, Nature Communications Top 50 physics articles (2018), T-Mech best paper award finalist (2020), CUHK Postgraduate Research Output Award (2018), Hong Kong Young Scientist Award shortlist (2018), the First Prize of International Bionic Innovation Competition (2019). I served as a Topic Editor for Frontiers in Robotics and AI, and Micromachines, an Associate Editor for International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots 2019, and a reviewer for top journals and conferences, including T-Ro, T-Mech, RA-L, ICRA and IROS.

News

[02/2021] For further updates, please visit our group website: www.imlyu.com

[12/2020] I have been appointed as a Topic Editor in Frontiers in Robotics and AI , and Micromachines .

[11/2020] Our lab is hiring Ph. D. students, Mphil students and Postdocs. Welcome all talented and determined candidates! If you are interested in our lab and research, please send me your CV and representative publications (if any). More details

[09/2020] Our book “Micro- and Nanorobots: From Individual to Swarm” (in Chinese) has been published.

[08/2020] I will join School of Science and Engineering, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, as an assistant professor this November. A team will be built.

[06/2020] Our T-Mech paper entitled “Reversible Pattern Transformation of Paramagnetic Nanoparticle Swarms in Bio-fluids with High Ionic Strength” has been named as a finalist for 2020 T-Mech Best Paper Award.

[05/2020] Our Nature Communications paper entitled “Ultra-extensible Ribbon-like Magnetic Microswarm” has been ranked as a ESI highly cited paper.

[11/2019] I joined the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering as a postdoc fellow, University of Toronto.

[07/2019] I honorably received the Postgraduate Research Output Award 2018 (Engineering Faculty).

[07/2019] Our paper has been selected to be Top 50 physics articles published in 2018 from Nature Communication (rank 8th).

[04/2019] Our paper has been accepted in ACS Nano. First paper on materials/nanotechnology as a first or co-first author!

Books

• L. Zhang, J. F. Yu, and L. D. Yang, Micro- and Nanorobots: From Individual to Swarm (in Chinese), Science Press (科学出版社), 2020.

Selected Journal Publications

• X. Wang, J. H. Law, M. X. Luo, Z. Y. Gong, J. F. Yu, W. T. Tang, Z. R. Zhang, X. T. Mei, Z. J. Huang, L. D. You and Y. Sun, Magnetic Measurement and Stimulation of Cellular and Intracellular Structures, ACS Nano, 14 (4), 3805-3821, 2020.

• Q. Q. Wang, L. D. Yang, J. F. Yu, Philip W. Y, Chiu, Y. P. Zheng and L. Zhang, Real-time magnetic navigation of a rotating colloidal microswarm under ultrasound guidance, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, accepted, 2020.

• Q. Q. Wang, J. F. Yu, K. Yuan, L. D. Yang, D. D. Jin and L. Zhang, Disassembly and spreading of magnetic nanoparticle clusters on uneven surfaces, Applied Materials Today, 18, 100489, 2020.

• J. F. Yu^*, D. D. Jin^*, K. F. Chan, Q. Q. Wang, K. Yuan and L. Zhang, Active Generation and Magnetic Actuation of Microrobotic Swarms in Bio-fluids, Nature Communications, accepted, 2019.( ^* denotes co-first authorship.)

• D.D. Jin^*, J. F. Yu^*, K. Yuan, L. Zhang, Mimicking the structure and function of ant bridge in reconfigurable microswarm for electronic applications, ACS Nano, Vol. 13, Issue 5, 5999-6007, 2019. ( ^* denotes co-first authorship.)

• J. F. Yu, and L. Zhang, Reversible Pattern Transformation of Paramagnetic Nanoparticle Swarms in Bio-fluids with High Ionic Strength, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Vol. 24, Issue 1, 154-163, 2019. (Finalist for 2020 TMECH Best Paper Award)

• L. D. Yang, J. F. Yu, L. Zhang, Statistics-based automated control for a swarm of paramagnetic nanoparticles in 2D space, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2019, accepted.

• J. F. Yu, Q. Q. Wang, M. Z. Li , C. Liu, L. D. Wang, T. T. Xu, L. Zhang, Characterizing Nanoparticle Swarms with Tuneable Concentrations for Enhanced Imaging Contrast, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Vol. 4, Issue 3, 2942-2949, 2019.

• T. T. Xu, J. F. Yu, C. I. Vong, B. Wang, X. Y. Wu, L. Zhang, Dynamic morphology and swimming properties of rotating miniature swimmers with soft tails, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Vol. 24, Issue 3, 924-934, 2019.

• B. Wang, F. T. Ji, J. F. Yu, L. D. Yang, Q. Q. Wang, L. Zhang, Bubble-assisted three-dimensional ensemble of nanomotors for improved catalytic performance, iScience, Vol 20, 760-771, 2019. (high- lighted as the front cover)

• Q. Q. Wang, J. F. Yu, K. Yuan, L. D. Yang, L. Zhang*, Disassembly and Spreading of Magnetic Nanoparticle Clusters on Uneven Surfaces, Applied Materials Today, 2019, accepted.

• J. F. Yu, B. Wang, X. Z. Du, Q. Q. Wang and L. Zhang, Ultra-extensible Ribbon-like Magnetic Microswarm, Nature Communications, Vol. 9, 3260, 2018. (ESI highly cited paper)

• J. F. Yu, L. D. Yang and L. Zhang, Pattern Generation and Motion Control of a Vortex-like Paramagnetic Nanoparticle Swarm, International Journal of Robotics Research, Vol. 37, Issue 8, 912-930, 2018.

• J.F. Yu, T. T. Xu, Z. Y. Lu, C. I. Vong, L. Zhang, On-demand Disassembly of Magnetic Nanoparticle Chains for Microrobotic Cargo Delivery, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, Vol.33, Issue 5, 1213-1225, 2017.

• B. Wang, K. F. Chan, J. F. Yu, Q. Q. Wang, L. D. Yang, P. W. Y. Chiu, L. Zhang, Reconfigurable swarms of ferromagnetic colloids for enhanced local hyperthermia, Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 28, 1705802, 2018.

• X. Yan, Q. Zhou, M. Vincent, Y. Deng, J. F. Yu, J. Xu, T. Xu, T. Tang, L. Bian, Y. Wang, K. Kostarelos, L. Zhang, Multifunctional biohybrid magnetite microrobots for imaging-guided therapy, Science Robotics, Vol. 2, Issue 12, eaaq1155, 2017.

• Qianqian Wang, Lidong Yang, J.F. Yu, Li Zhang, Characterizing Dynamic Behaviors of Three-Particle Paramagnetic Microswimmer Near a Solid Surface, Robotics and Biomimetics, Vol. 4, Issue 4, 2017.

• Q. Q. Wang, L. D. Yang, B. Wang, E. Yu, J. F. Yu, L. Zhang, Collective behavior of reconfigurable magnetic droplets via dynamic self-assembly, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1630–1637, 2019.

• X. H. Yan, Q. Zhou, J. F. Yu, T. T. Xu, Y. Deng, T. Tang, Q. Feng, L. M. Bian, Y. Zhang, A. Ferreira and L. Zhang, Magnetite Nanostructured Porous Hollow Helical Microswimmers for Targeted Delivery, Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 25, 5333-5342, 2015.

• T. T. Xu, J. F. Yu, X. H. Yan, H. Choi, L. Zhang, Magnetic Actuation Based Motion Control for Microrobots: An Overview, Micromachines, 2015, 6(9), 1346-1364.

Selected Conference Publications

• J. F. Yu and L. Zhang, Reconfigurable Colloidal Microrobotic Swarm for Targeted Delivery, IEEE Ubiquitous Robots 2019 (UR 2019), Jeju, 2019, accepted.

• J. F. Yu, D. D. Jin, L. Zhang, Mobile Magnetic Nanoparticle-based Vortex for Targeted Cargo Delivery in Fluid, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2017), Singapore, May 29 - June 3, 6594 - 6599, 2017.

• J. F. Yu, H. B. Yu, T. T. Xu and L. Zhang. Magnetic Control of AMB-1 Magnetotactic Bacteria for Micromanipulation, IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE 2015), pages: 1614-1619.

• J. F. Yu, L. Zhang, Paramagnetic Nanoparticle-based Vortex: Generation, Mobility and Microma- nipulation, IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE NANO 2017), Pittsburg, U.S.A., July 25-28, 293 - 296, 2017.

• Q. W. Chao, J. F. Yu, T. T. Xu, L. Zhang, C. L. Wang, X. G. Jin, Steering Micro-Robotic Swarm by Dynamic Actuating Fields, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2016), Stockholm, Sweden, 5230-5235, 2016.

• D.D. Jin, J. F. Yu, K. H. Chan, L. Zhang, Self-propelled magnesium based micromotors: synthesis and magnetic steering, International Symposium of Optomechatronics Technology (ISOT 2015), Vol. 32, 04004, 2015.

• Q.Q. Wang, L.D. Yang, J.F. Yu, L. Zhang, Characterizing Dynamic Swimming Behaviors of Three-Particle Magnetic Microswimmer Near a Surface, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics 2017 (ROBIO 2017),Macao, China, Dec 5-8, 2017.

• Q.Q. Wang, L.D. Yang, J.F. Yu, C.I. Vong, Philip W.Y. Chiu, L. Zhang, Magnetic Navigation of A Rotating Colloidal Swarm Using Ultrasound Images, IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2018), Madrid, Spain, Oct 1-5, 5380 - 5385, 2018.

Academic Presentations

• Reconfigurable microrobotic swarms, Siyuan Forum, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

• “On-demand Disassembly of Magnetic Nanoparticle Chains for Microrobotic Cargo Delivery”, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2018), Brisbane, Australia, May 2018.

• “Mobile Magnetic Nanoparticle-based Vortex for Targeted Cargo Delivery in Fluid“, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2017), Singapore, May 2017.

• “Nanorobotic Swarm for Active Targeted Therapy”, Emedic Global, Hong Kong, August 2016.

• “Mobile Microvortex Tweezers: Noninvasive, Low-cost Tools for Cell Manipulation and Nanomedicine”, Faculty of Engineering 25th Anniversary, CUHK, Hong Kong, October 2016.

• “Magnetic Control of AMB-1 Magnetotactic Bacteria for Micromanipulation”, IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE 2015), Gothenburg, Sweden, August 2015.

• “Self-propelled Magnesium Based Micromotors: Synthesis and Magnetic Steering”, International Symposium of Optomechatronics Technology (ISOT 2015), Neuchatel, Switzerland, October 2015.

Awards

• CUHK Postgraduate Research Output Award 2018 (Engineering Faculty).

• International Bionic Innovatio Competition 2019, the First Prize (Shared with D. D. Jin and L. Zhang).

• Hong Kong Young Scientist Award 2018, short listed (3/over 60 competitors all over Hong Kong).

• American Mathematical Contest in Modeling 2012, Honorable Mention.

• Flying into the Future Space Exploration Innovation Contest in Asian 2012, Honorable Mention.

Press

• Nature News: ”Making a microscopic swarm move through a maze”.

• Nature Video: ”Making a microscopic swarm move through a maze”.

• CNN: ”Hong Kong scientists develop new ’nano-swarm’ robots”.

• International Business Times: ”Shape-changing swarming nanorobots developed to aid complexmedical surgeries”.

• CUHK Press :”CUHK Robotic Engineers: First to Implement Swarm Behaviours on Nano-Robots”.

Internship experiences

• International Designing Institute, Zhejiang University, (Jun.-Aug. 2013): Designed the shape and the actuation system of a vehicle for disables, also involved in designing its interface and control system.

• National Engineering Lab of Digital Video Codec Technology, Peking University,(Jun.-Aug. 2012): Dealed with basic tasks on intelligent image process with OpenCV.

• Advanced Robotics Lab, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, (Jun.-Aug. 2011): Designed a joint servo system fit in a palm-sized robot.