Haobo Fang

Haobo Fang

B.S. in Computer Engineering, University of Michigan; B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Publications

You can also find my articles on my Google Scholar profile.

Workshop Articles / Arxiv preprint

Origami-Inspired Modular Soft Robotic Arm

Jiyang Wang, Yuchen You, Xinqi Zhang, Haobo Fang, Jiaqi Wang, Xiaonan (Sean) Huang
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ICRA 2025 at Workshop on Soft Robotics for Space Applications, 2025

Soft robots promise safety and adaptability, but bulky pneumatics limit their reach in space. Can we design modules that reconfigure on demand, while staying lightweight and reliable? Naive designs collapse under load. We introduce a modular soft arm built from Kresling origami actuators with embedded sensing and CAN communication, achieving 2.57% tracking error and lifting over 20× its own weight. Adaptable, fault-tolerant, and compact—an enabling step for resilient space robotics

Patents

Lightweight, Proprioceptive, Origami-Inspired Soft Robotic Arm for High Payload, Low-Cost Reconfigurable Manipulation

Jiyang Wang, Yuchen You, Xinqi Zhang, Haobo Fang, Jiaqi Wang, Xiaonan (Sean) Huang
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Provisional patent in preparation, U-M File 2025-609, 2025

We present a lightweight, modular soft robotic arm built from origami-inspired plug-and-play modules with embedded proprioception. The system achieves millimeter-scale precision, over 10 kg payload, and on-demand reconfigurability, while remaining compact (<3 kg, <$2,000). Validated in payload and precision tests, it offers a scalable and safe alternative to rigid manipulators for automation, inspection, and space exploration.

Ongoing Projects