PhD Dissertation · University of Colorado Boulder
Hierarchical Soft-Rigid Hybrid Architectures for Wearable Bioelectronics
Rigid electronics break on soft, moving bodies. My dissertation proves that hierarchical structural design—strategically embedding rigid functional elements within compliant matrices at multiple length scales—solves this across three distinct wearable domains: prosthetic sensing, epidermal electrodes, and energy harvesting.
How I Work
Every project follows the same pipeline: identify the mechanical failure mode, model it computationally (ABAQUS FEA with hyperelastic constitutive models), fabricate a solution, validate experimentally, and—where applicable—deploy a real-time ML system on the sensor data.
Materials Engineering
Stretchable composites (EGaIn/SiO₂/PDMS), electrically conductive adhesives, microporous elastomers, functionally graded architectures.
Computational Mechanics
ABAQUS: Ogden hyperelastic models, contact mechanics, shell-solid mixed discretization, cyclic fatigue prediction, geometric optimization.
Wearable ML Systems
CNN-BiLSTM-Attention (~1.31M params), multi-task learning, synthetic data generation, real-time inference (<50 ms CPU), transfer learning.
PhD Research Projects
Each project solves a different manifestation of the soft-rigid interface challenge
PKIS
In ProgressProsthetic Knee Intelligence System
Stretchable e-skin with real-time deep learning for prosthetic socket monitoring — recognizes 8 activities, forecasts next action, and flags fall risk in <50 ms.
SNAP
PublishedStretchable Microneedle Adhesive Patch
Functionally graded electrode for motion-artifact-free EMG sensing — enables closed-loop exoskeleton control for mobility rehabilitation.
h-TEG
PublishedHierarchical Thermoelectric Generator
Body-heat harvester powering on-body sensors without batteries — enabling untethered prosthetic and rehabilitation monitoring.
Pre-PhD Research
Additive manufacturing, smart materials, and cellular architectures (2015–2021)
4D Printing & Smart Materials
PublishedSUTD-MIT International Design Centre, Singapore
Engineered hygro-responsive canopies using chitosan bio-composites with knitted textile architectures for passively actuated smart structures.
3D-Printed Cellular Architectures
PublishedNanyang Technological University, Singapore
Designed, fabricated, and mechanically characterized honeycomb, Kagome, corrugated, and lattice structures for energy absorption applications.
Knitted Biomaterial Assembly
PublishedSUTD-MIT International Design Centre, Singapore
Developed knitted chitosan-based textiles enabling biomimetic, hydro-responsive actuation for adaptive structures.
Hygro-Responsive Canopies
PublishedSUTD-MIT International Design Centre, Singapore
Scaled passive actuation systems with chitosan composites for climate-adaptive architectural canopies.
4D Compliant Structures
PublishedSUTD / NTU
3D-printed compliant mechanisms programmed for time-varying shape change under environmental stimuli.
UAV Wing (CFR) via AM
PublishedNTU, Singapore
Designed and manufactured a continuous fiber-reinforced 3D-printed UAV wing; validated structural performance.
Porous Polymer Scaffolds
PublishedNTU / ASME Conference
Characterized porous polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering fabricated via additive manufacturing.
Friction Stir Welded Mg Alloy
PublishedMaterials Today: Proceedings
Mechanical and microstructural characterization of friction stir welded AZ80A magnesium alloy.
Research Supervision & Collaboration
Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Jianliang Xiao, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder
Committee: Assoc. Prof. Rong Long (ME) · Prof. Yifu Ding (ME) · Assoc. Prof. Yida Zhang (Civil) · Prof. Inigo Flores Ituarte (Tampere University)
Jeong Lab
KAIST
Zhao Lab
SEU
Quorum Prosthetics
Colorado
Kelvin Thermal
Colorado