Dr Ketao Zhang
BSc, PhD, FHEA
Reader in Robotics
Industrial Engagement Lead, Centre for Intelligent Transport
Director, Robotic Systems Research Group
Engineering 115, Mile End
| Feedback/ support hours: |
Thursday, 12:00 - 13:00 ENG 115 (in-person) Friday, 12:00 - 13:00 MS Teams (online) |
| Expertise: | Dr Ketao Zhang's research integrates screw theory and advanced mechanism design, and origami-inspired fabrication to develop reconfigurable and adaptive robotic systems capable of dexterous and robust operation. His research spans bio-inspired robots, aerial robots, robot manipulators, and soft-bodied systems, with an emphasis on embedding sensing, compliance, and control directly into mechanical structure. |
| Research Centre: | Intelligent Transport |
| Affiliations: |
Member of IEEE Member of ASME |
Brief Biography
Dr Ketao Zhang is a Reader (Associate Professor) at Queen Mary, University of London (QMUL), and is the Director of the Robotic Systems Research Group, a core robotics team within the Centre for Advanced Robotics @ QMUL (ARQ).
His research focuses on Embodied and Intelligent Robotics, integrating robotic morphology, sensing, control, and learning to achieve robust interaction with complex environments. His work advances reconfigurable mechanisms, soft and adaptive structures, bio-inspired design, and multi-agent robotic systems, with strong foundations in mechanical intelligence and physical AI.
Before joining QMUL, he was a Research Associate at the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London in the Aerial Robotics Lab with Prof Mirko Kovac, developing aerial robotic construction systems that enable aerial robots to 3D print building structures autonomously. He had also been a leading researcher at King's College London in the Multifingered Robotic Hand Lab, where he developed the 3-fingered Metahand for mobile manipulators and learning affordance in robotic manipulation in collaboration with Prof Jian Dai.
Dr. Zhang received his PhD degree in a joint programme in Mechanical Engineering - Machine Design and Theory at King's College London (UK) and Beijing Jiaotong University (China), investigating the design and kinematic analysis of reconfigurable parallel manipulators. He received his BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and Automation from Beijing Jiaotong University.
He is currently an Associate Editor of IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Mechanism and Machine Theory, and Editorial Board Member of the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering.
His research focuses on Embodied and Intelligent Robotics, integrating robotic morphology, sensing, control, and learning to achieve robust interaction with complex environments. His work advances reconfigurable mechanisms, soft and adaptive structures, bio-inspired design, and multi-agent robotic systems, with strong foundations in mechanical intelligence and physical AI.
Before joining QMUL, he was a Research Associate at the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London in the Aerial Robotics Lab with Prof Mirko Kovac, developing aerial robotic construction systems that enable aerial robots to 3D print building structures autonomously. He had also been a leading researcher at King's College London in the Multifingered Robotic Hand Lab, where he developed the 3-fingered Metahand for mobile manipulators and learning affordance in robotic manipulation in collaboration with Prof Jian Dai.
Dr. Zhang received his PhD degree in a joint programme in Mechanical Engineering - Machine Design and Theory at King's College London (UK) and Beijing Jiaotong University (China), investigating the design and kinematic analysis of reconfigurable parallel manipulators. He received his BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and Automation from Beijing Jiaotong University.
He is currently an Associate Editor of IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Mechanism and Machine Theory, and Editorial Board Member of the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering.