Department Chairman and Graduate Division Head;
Director, Institute of Intelligent Design and Manufacturing, CUHK
Wei-Hsin Liao received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA. At Penn State University, he received the Inventor Incentive Award and Sigma Xi Graduate Research Award. Since August 1997, Dr. Liao has been with The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where he is currently Department Chairman and Choh-Ming Li Professor of Mechanical and Automation Engineering. His research has led to publications of over 360 technical papers in international journals and conference proceedings, and 23 patents. He was the Conference Chair for the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies in 2009; the Active and Passive Smart Structures and Integrated Systems, SPIE Smart Structures/NDE in 2014 and 2015. He received the T A Stewart-Dyer/F H Trevithick Prize 2005, awarded by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). He is a recipient of the 2008 Best Paper Award in Structures, 2017 Best Paper Award in Mechanics and Material Systems, and 2021 Energy Harvesting Best Paper Award, from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He also received four best paper awards in IEEE international conferences. At CUHK, Prof. Liao was awarded the Young Researcher Award 2007, the Research Excellence Award (2010-11), and Outstanding Fellow of the Faculty of Engineering (2014-19). As the Chair of Joint Chapter of Robotics, Automation and Control Systems Society (RACS), IEEE Hong Kong Section, Dr. Liao received 2012 Chapter of the Year Award from the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. Prof. Liao is the recipient of 2020 ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Award and 2018 SPIE SSM Lifetime Achievement Award, to recognize his outstanding contributions to the advancement of smart structures and materials. He is also the recipient of 2023 ASME Leonardo Da Vinci Award for the eminent achievement in the design and invention which are universally recognized as an important advance in machine design. He currently serves as an Associate Editor for Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, and on the Executive Editorial Board of Smart Materials and Structures. Dr. Liao is a Fellow of ASME, HKIE, and IOP.
- Smart Materials and Adaptive Structures
- Energy Harvesting and Vibration Control
- 3D/4D Printing, Mechatronics
- Exoskeleton and Prosthesis
- Adaptive 3D Printing: Design, Manufacturing, Modeling and Optimization
- Embedded Generators for Self-Powered Smart Watches and Wristbands
- Wearable Health Monitoring and Dynamic Gait Analysis of Neurodegenerative Parkinson’s Disease
- Intelligent System and Control of Wearable Exoskeleton for Motion Assistance
- Self-Powered Smart Prosthetic Knee
- Design and Modeling of Impact-Excited Bistable Energy Harvesters
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Journal Papers (selected in recent years)
- J. Xing, M. Rezaei, H. Dai, and W. H. Liao, “Investigating the Effect of Surface Protrusions on Galloping Energy Harvesting,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 122, 153902, 2023. DOI: 10.1063/5.0142143. (Editor’s Pick)
- M. Qin, S. Qu, J. Ding, X. Song, S. Gao, C. C. L. Wang, and W. H. Liao, “Adaptive Toolpath Generation for Distortion Reduction in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process,” Additive Manufacturing, Vol. 64, 103432, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2023.103432
- K. Zhang, X. Zhang, Q. Gao, M. Chan, S. Zhang, J. Li, and W. H. Liao, “Ultrahigh Energy-Dissipation and Multifunctional Auxetic Polymeric Foam Inspired by Balloon Art,” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 167, 107435, 2023. DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107435
- H. Liao, H. H.-T. Chan, F. Gao, X. Zhao, G. Liu, and W. H. Liao, “Proxy-Based Torque Control of Motor-Driven Exoskeletons for Safe and Compliant Human-Exoskeleton Interaction,” Mechatronics, Vol. 88, 102906, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.mechatronics.2022.102906
- Q. Gao, Z. Ding, and W. H. Liao, “Effective Elastic Properties of Irregular Auxetic Structures,” Composite Structures, Vol. 287, 115269, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115269
- G. Liu, F. Gao, D. Wang, and W. H. Liao, “Medical Applications of Magnetorheological Fluid: A Systematic Review,” Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 31, No. 4, 043002 (23pp), 2022. DOI: 10.1088/1361-665X/ac54e7
- K. Chen, S. Fang, Q. Gao, D. Zou, J. Cao, and W. H. Liao, “Enhancing Power Output of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting by Gradient Auxetic Structures,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 120, 103901, 2022. DOI: 10.1063/5.0082015
- H. Zhao, R. Wang, Y. Lei, W. H. Liao, H. Cao, and J. Cao, “Severity Level Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease by Ensemble K-Nearest Neighbor Under Imbalanced Data,” Expert Systems with Applications, Vol. 189, 116113, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.eswa.2021.116113
- S. Fang, S. Zhou, D. Yurchenko, T. Yang, and W. H. Liao, “Multistability Phenomenon in Signal Processing, Energy Harvesting, Composite Structures, and Metamaterials: A Review,” Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vol. 166, 108419, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymssp.2021.108419
- X. Chen, G. Fang, W. H. Liao, and C. C. L. Wang, “Field-Based Toolpath Generation for 3D Printing Continuous Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites,” Additive Manufacturing, Vol. 49, 102470, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2021.102470
- M. Rezaei, R. Talebitooti, and W. H. Liao, “Exploiting Bi-Stable Magneto-Piezoelastic Absorber for Simultaneous Energy Harvesting and Vibration Mitigation,” International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, Vol. 207, 106618, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2021.106618
- F. Y. Liang, F. Gao, and W. H. Liao, “Synergy-based Knee Angle Estimation Using Kinematics of Thigh,” Gait & Posture, Vol. 89, pp. 25-30, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.06.015
- K. Chen, Q. Gao, S. Fang, D. Zou, Z. Yang, and W. H. Liao, “An Auxetic Nonlinear Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for Enhancing Efficiency and Bandwidth,” Applied Energy, Vol. 298, 117274, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.117274 (Reported by InfoMat, 6 July 2021)
- Hugo H. T. Chan, F. Gao, Brendon L. H. Chung, W. H. Liao, and J. Cao, “Knee Energy Harvester with Variable Transmission to Reduce the Effect on the Walking Gait,” Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 30, No. 8, 085024 (14pp), 2021. DOI: 10.1088/1361-665X/ac0bfe
- M. Cai and W. H. Liao, “Design, Modeling, and Experiments of Electromagnetic Energy Harvester Embedded in Smart Watch and Wristband as Power Source,” IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 2104-2114, 2021. DOI: 10.1109/TMECH.2020.3032536
- Q. Gao and W. H. Liao, “Energy Absorption of Thin Walled Tube Filled with Gradient Auxetic Structures – Theory and Simulation, International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, Vol. 201, 106475, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2021.106475
- D. Zou, G. Liu, Z. Rao, T. Tan, W. Zhang, and W. H. Liao, “A Device Capable of Customizing Nonlinear Forces for Vibration Energy Harvesting, Vibration Isolation, and Nonlinear Energy Sink,” Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vol. 147, 107101, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymssp.2020.107101
- F. Gao, G. Liu, F. Liang, and W. H. Liao, “IMU-Based Locomotion Mode Identification for Transtibial Prostheses, Orthoses, and Exoskeletons,” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems & Rehabilitation Engineering, Vol. 28, No. 6, pp. 1334-1343, 2020. DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2020.2987155
- M. Cai, J. Wang, and W. H. Liao, “Self-Powered Smart Watch and Wristband Enabled by Embedded Generator,” Applied Energy, Vol. 263, 114682, 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114682
- S. Fang, S. Wang, S. Zhou, Z. Yang, and W. H. Liao, “Exploiting the Advantages of the Centrifugal Softening Effect in Rotational Impact Energy Harvesting,” Applied Physics Letters, 116, 063903, 2020. DOI: 10.1063/1.5140060 (Featured Article, Scilight)
Patents (US)
- Human Joint Energy Harvesting Apparatus and Wearable Electronic Device Comprising the Same, US Patent 11,508,900, November 22, 2022
- Human Motion Energy Harvesting Apparatus and Conversion Method Thereof, US Patent 11,316,405, April 26, 2022
- Magneto-Rheological Series Elastic Actuator, US Patent 10,626,944, April 21, 2020.
- Ankle-Foot Prosthesis Device, US Patent, 10,406,000, September 10, 2019.
- Optical Pickup Assemblies and Drive Systems with the Same, US Patent, 8,605,558, December 10, 2013.
- Magnetorheological Actuators, US Patent 8,193,670, June 5, 2012.
- Piezoelectric Actuated Suspension with Passive Damping in Hard Disk Drives, US Patent 7,983,008, July 19, 2011.
- High Speed Pick and Place Apparatus, US Patent 6,758,113, July 6, 2004.
- Apparatus and Method for Vibration Control Using Active Constrained Layer Edge Elements, US Patent 5,838,092, Nov. 17, 1998.