EE Research Team Won a Silver Medal at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

📅 2026-05-04

EE research team has been awarded a Silver Medal at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, one of the world’s most prestigious platforms for showcasing innovative technologies and translational research.

The award-winning invention, titled “Single Tendon-Driven Continuum Robots with Push–Pull–Twist Actuation Mechanism,” was presented by EE PhD Year 1 student Mr. Yanjun Liu, who represented the team at the exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, in March 2026.

Conventional multi-tendon continuum robots often face challenges such as tight space constraints, complex actuation systems, and limited omnidirectional motion. To address these limitations, the research team developed a novel single-tendon-driven continuum robot that integrates a push–pull–twist actuation mechanism. This design enables full three-dimensional spatial manipulation while significantly simplifying system architecture and control. The proposed approach allows for effective miniaturization and provides a large internal working channel, making the system especially attractive for applications in minimally invasive surgery as well as industrial inspection and manipulation tasks that require high dexterity in confined spaces.

The project was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Jiewen Lai and Prof. Hongliang Ren, whose research focuses on advanced medical robotic systems. The Silver Medal at the Geneva exhibition highlights the team’s contribution to advancing the capabilities of next-generation soft and continuum robotic technologies.

The International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva is an annual global event that brings together inventors, researchers, and industry leaders from around the world to showcase cutting-edge innovations across science, engineering, and medicine. Winning an award at the exhibition reflects both the technical originality and application potential of the work.

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