Kan Li Group · Kan Li Lab
Grounded in theoretical and applied mechanics, we develop distributed sensing on flexible substrates. We focus on flexible electronic microfliers, high-temperature flexible multimodal sensors, and flexible intelligent microsystems, and provide the sensing infrastructure and data foundation for Physical AI.
Research Directions
Grounded in theoretical and applied mechanics, we build distributed sensing on flexible substrates for Physical AI, across three mutually reinforcing directions.
Nature Cover (2021) Flexible Electronic Microfliers
Bio-inspired 3D microfliers that integrate sensing–communication–actuation to form distributed spatial sensing nodes (Nature 2021 cover).
High-Temperature Flexible Multimodal Sensors
Conformal multimodal flexible sensors on engine hot sections and complex curved surfaces for extreme-environment structural-health monitoring.
System · Sense–Comms–Actuate 
Swarm Intelligence Flexible Intelligent Microsystems
Flexible intelligent microsystems fusing fiber electronics, soft actuation and neural interfaces for human–machine–environment synergy.
Led by Prof. Kan Li, the group currently has 15 graduate students (9 Ph.D. + 6 Master students). Meet the Team →
Selected Publications
Representative works from recent years (sorted by publication year, descending).
- 2026
- 2026
- 2026
- 2025
- 2025
- 2025
News & Updates
Frontline highlights and research updates from the group.
- 2026.07 Paper Published Advanced Fiber Materials: New progress in high-temperature flexible sensors
The high-temperature sensor paper by Zijian Xu, Chao Hou et al. was accepted by Advanced Fiber Materials, reporting the group’s latest results in high-temperature flexible multimodal sensing.
- 2026.07 Student Honor Yichen Liu wins Best Poster Award
Yichen Liu received the Best Poster Award at a recent academic conference for his work on flexible microflier lift control.
- 2026.04 Paper Published Discover Sensors: Design approaches for high-temperature flexible pressure sensors
The review “Design approaches for high-temperature-resistant flexible pressure sensors in extreme environments” was published in Discover Sensors, systematically summarizing design methods for extreme-environment high-temperature flexible pressure sensors.
- 2026.03 Paper Published Acta Automatica Sinica: RL control for bioinspired robots with redundant artificial muscles
The paper “Reinforcement Learning Control for Bioinspired Robots Driven by Redundant Artificial Muscles” was published in Acta Automatica Sinica, proposing an RL control method for bioinspired robots driven by redundant artificial muscles.
- 2026.02 Paper Published Nature Communications: Distributed biodegradable Lagrangian sensors
The paper “Distributed multitudes of bio-inspired, biodegradable Lagrangian sensors for environmental sustainability” was published in Nature Communications, proposing biodegradable distributed Lagrangian sensors for environmentally sustainable monitoring.
In the Media
Media coverage of Prof. Kan Li and the group’s research.
- 2025.10 Tsinghua University Kan Li: tackling the “chokepoint” challenges of microfliers
Tsinghua Alumni Association “Returned Tsinghua” series: focusing on microflier research aligned with national needs.
- 2025.09 People’s Daily From Tsinghua to Cambridge, he returned at 28 to become a professor!
People’s Daily official account profile: from Tsinghua’s Qian Class to a Cambridge postdoc, joining HUST full-time at 28, tackling the flexible-electronics “packaging paradox” and 3D microfliers.