Academic Staff

Brief Biosketch

Dr. Lidong YANG is currently an Assistant Professor of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Prior to that, He conducted Postdoctoral research at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Dr. Yang obtained the Ph.D. degree in Mechanical and Automation Engineering from CUHK in 2020, and he received the B. Eng degree from Hornor School (英才学院) of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in 2014. His major research interests include micro-/nanorobot design & fabrication, microrobotic system develop & control, and biomedical applications of micro-/nanorobots. Dr. Yang has over 50 publications in journals, international conferences, and US Patents in the field of robotics and automation, including Nature Machine Intelligence, Science Robotics, IEEE Trans. Robotics (TRO), IJRR, and Annual Review of Control, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems. Dr. Yang also won several Best Paper Awards from IEEE conferences, such CASE 2020, ICARM 2020, and MARSS 2022. Dr. Yang’s PhD thesis received the Excellent PhD Dissertation Nomination Award from the Chinese Association of Automation (CAA). He also received the 2022 Hong Kong Young Scientist Finalist Award from the Hong Kong Institution of Science.

Research Interests

• Micro-/nanorobot design and fabrication
• Magnetic microrobotic system development and automated control
• Small-scale medical robots
• Machine learning for microrobots
• Biomedical applications of micro-/nanorobots

Academic Awards

• Hong Kong Young Scientist Finalist Award (Engineering) from Hong Kong Institute of Science, 2022
• CAA Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Normination Award (中国自动化学会优秀博士学位论文提名奖) from Chinese Association of Automation, 2021
• Best Student Paper Award at 2020 IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE), 2020
• Best Student Paper Award at 2022 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), 2022
• Toshio Fukuda Best Paper Award in Mechatronics at 2020 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics (ICARM), 2020
• Bronze prize in The 2021 International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, 2021
• Third prize in the 2015 BICES-The 3rd International Construction Machinery and Special Vehicles Design Contest, 2015

Professional Services

Memberships:

• Member of the Chinese Association of Automation
• Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Science
• Member of IEEE
• Member of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society

Academic services:

• Associate editor of 2021/2022 International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots (UR)
• Guest associate editor of Micromachines
• Guest associate editor of Frontiers in Robotics and AI
• Session co-chair of 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
• Reviewer of academic journals and international conferences

Selected Publications

Monograph:

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

Journal papers:

1. L. Yang, J. Jiang, F. Ji, Y. Li, K.L. Yung, A. Ferreira, and L. Zhang, Machine learning for micro- and nanorobots, Nature Machine Intelligence, vol. 6, no. 6, pp. 605-618, 2024. (JCR Q1)
2. J. Jiang, L. Yang*, B. Hao, T. Xu, X. Wu, and L. Zhang*, Automated Microrobotic Manipulation using Reconfigurable Magnetic Microswarms, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), Accepted, 2024. (*Corresponding author)(JCR Q1)
3. L. Yang^#, J. Jiang^#, X. Gao, Q. Wang, Q. Dou, L. Zhang, Autonomous environment-adaptive microrobot swarm navigation enabled by deep learning-based real-time distribution planning, Nature Machine Intelligence, vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 480-493, 2022. (^#co-first author) (JCR Q1)
4. L. Yang, J. Yu and L. Zhang, Statistics-Based Automated Control for a Swarm of Paramagnetic Nanoparticles in 2-D Space, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 254-270, Feb. 2020. (JCR Q1)
5. L. Yang, J. Yu, S. Yang, B. Wang, B. J. Nelson, and L. Zhang, A Survey on Swarm Microrobotics, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 1531-1551, June 2022. (JCR Q1)
6. J. Yu^#, L. Yang^#, X. Du, H. Chen, T. Xu and L. Zhang, Adaptive Pattern and Motion Control of Magnetic Microrobotic Swarms, IEEE Transactions on Robotics (TRO), Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 1552-1570, June 2022. (JCR Q1)
7. L. Yang and L. Zhang, Motion Control in Magnetic Microrobotics: From Individual and Multiple Robots to Swarms, Annual Review of Control, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, vol. 4, pp. 509-534, 2021. (JCR Q1)
8. L. Yang, Z. Yang, M. Zhang, J. Jia and L. Zhang, Optimal Design and Microrobotic Navigation Control of Parallel-Mobile-Coil Systems, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (TASE), 2022. (JCR Q1)
9. L. Yang^#, M. Zhang^#, Z. Yang and L. Zhang, Multimode Control of a Parallel-Mobile-Coil System for Adaptable Large-workspace Microrobotic Actuation, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (TMECH), (JCR Q1), 2022.
10. M. Zhang, L. Yang*, C. Zhang, Z. Yang and L. Zhang*, A 5-D Large-Workspace Magnetic Localization and Actuation System Based on an Eye-in-Hand Magnetic Sensor Array and Mobile Coils, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement (TIM), 2023. (JCR Q1).
11. L. Yang^#, M. Zhang^#, Z. Yang, H. Yang and L. Zhang, Mobile Ultrasound Tracking and Magnetic Control for Long-Distance Endovascular Navigation of Untethered Miniature Robots Against Pulsatile Flow, Advanced Intelligent Systems, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 2100144, 2022. (JCR Q1) (Back Cover Article)
12. L. Yang, Y. Zhang, Q. Wang and L. Zhang, An Automated Microrobotic Platform for Rapid Detection of C. diff Toxins, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering (TBME), vol. 67, no. 5, pp. 1517-1527, May 2020. (JCR Q2)
13. L. Yang, Y. Zhang, Q. Wang, K. Chan and L. Zhang, Automated Control of Magnetic Spore-Based Microrobot Using Fluorescence Imaging for Targeted Delivery With Cellular Resolution, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (TASE), vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 490-501, Jan. 2020. (JCR Q1)
14. L. Yang, E. Yu, C. Vong and L. Zhang, Discrete-Time Optimal Control of Electromagnetic Coil Systems for Generation of Dynamic Magnetic Fields With High Accuracy, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (TMECH), vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 1208-1219, Jun. 2019. (JCR Q1)
15. L. Yang^#, Q. Wang^# and L. Zhang, Model-Free Trajectory Tracking Control of Two-Particle Magnetic Microrobot, IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology (TNANO), vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 697-700, Jul. 2018. (JCR Q2)
16. Z. Yang^#, L. Yang^# and L. Zhang, Autonomous Navigation of Magnetic Microrobots in A Large Workspace Using Mobile-Coil System, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (TMECH), vol. 26, no. 6, 2021. (JCR Q1)
17. Q. Wang^#, L. Yang^# and L. Zhang, Micromanipulation Using Reconfigurable Self-Assembled Magnetic Droplets with Needle Guidance, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (TASE), vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 759-771, 2022. (JCR Q1)
18. L. Yang, Q. Wang, C. Vong and L. Zhang, A Miniature Flexible-Link Magnetic Swimming Robot With Two Vibration Modes: Design, Modeling and Characterization, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 2024-2031, Oct. 2017. (JCR Q2)
19. J. Jiang^#, L. Yang^# and L. Zhang, Closed-Loop Control of a Helmholtz Coil System for Accurate Actuation of Magnetic Microrobot Swarms, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 827-834, 2021. (JCR Q2)

International Conference papers:

1. L. Yang, M. Zhang, Z. Yang, H. Yang and L. Zhang, QuadMag: A Mobile-Coil System With Enhanced Magnetic Actuation Efficiency and Dexterity, 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2023, Accepted.
2. L. Yang^#, M. Sun^#, and L. Zhang, Torque-Actuated Multimodal Locomotion of Ferrofluid Robot With Environment and Task Adaptability, 2022 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2022.
3. L. Yang, M. Zhang, H. Yang, Z. Yang, L. Zhang, Hybrid Magnetic Force and Torque Actuation of Miniature Helical Robots Using Mobile Coils to Accelerate Blood Clot Removal, 2021 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), pp. 7476-7482, 2021.
4. L. Yang and L. Zhang, Large-Workspace and High-Resolution Magnetic Microrobot Navigation Using Global-Local Path Planning and Eye-in-Hand Visual Servoing, 2020 IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE), pp. 876-881, 2020. (Best Student Paper Award)
5. L. Yang^#, J. Yu^#, and L. Zhang, A Mobile Paramagnetic Nanoparticle Swarm with Automatic Shape Deformation Control, 2020 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 9230-9236, 2020.
6. L. Yang and L. Zhang, Optimal Control of a 3-axis Helmholtz Coils System for Generation of Dynamic Magnetic Field Waveforms with High Accuracy, 2019 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pp. 1193-1198, Hong Kong, China, Jul. 8-12, 2019.
7. L. Yang, Y. Zhang, L. Zhang, Autonomous Detection of C. diff Toxins in Clinical Stool Using A Magnetic Microrobotic System, 2019 Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics, pp. 37-38, London, United Kingdom, Jun. 23-26, 2019.
8. L. Yang, X. Du, E. Yu, D. Jin and L. Zhang, DeltaMag: An Electromagnetic Manipulation System with Parallel Mobile Coils, 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 9814-9820, Montreal, Canada, May 20-24, 2019.
9. L. Yang, Y. Zhang, C. Vong and L. Zhang, Automated Control of Multifunctional Magnetic Spores Using Fluorescence Imaging for Microrobotic Cargo Delivery, 2018 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), pp. 6180-6185, Madrid, Spain, Oct. 1-5, 2018.
10. M. Zhang, L. Yang, H. Yang, L. Su, L. Zhang, A doppler and B-mode hybrid ultrasound tracking method for microcatheter navigation in noisy environments, 2022 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), 2022. (Best Student Paper Award)