CV Curriculum Vitae

Hongliang REN

Curriculum Vitae

hren(at)cuhk.edu.hk

http://labren.org/

Google Scholar Profile 

ORCID iconORCIDResearcherID iconResearcherIDScopus ID iconScopus ID

Academic Experience

  • Associate Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Department of Electronic Engineering
  • Adjunct Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • 2012–2020 Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore Department of Biomedical Engineering
  • 2012 Research Fellow, Children’s National Medical Center
    Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Washington D.C. Bioengineering Initiative (CNMC-SZIPSI)
  • 2010–2012 Research Fellow, Harvard University
    Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital, Boston Pediatric Cardiac Bioengineering Lab (PCBL)
  • 2008–2010 Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
    Dept of Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics
    Computer Integrated Surgical Systems & Technology Center (CISST)
  • Ph.D., The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), HK Electronic Engineering 2008
  • M.Sc., Harbin Engineering University (HEU), China Control Theory & Control Engineering 2004
  • B.Sc., Harbin Engineering University, China Power Engineering 2002

Research Interests

Biomedical robotics & intelligent systems, medical mechatronics, continuum, and soft flexible robots and sensors, multisensory perception, learning and control in image-guided procedures, deployable motion generation, compliance modulation/sensing, cooperative and context-aware sensors/actuators in human environments, navigated robotic surgery/intervention, flexible robotics and machine artificial intelligence

Professional Activities

Program Committee Membership:

2024 Workshop Co-Chair, ICRA 2024 workshop on Continuum and Soft robotics
2024 Workshop Co-Chair, ICRA 2024 workshop ‘C4SR+: Continuum, Compliant, Cooperative, Cognitive Surgical Robotic Systems in the Embodied AI Era’
2024 Workshop Co-Chair, MICCAI EARTH: Embodied AI and Robotics for HealTHcare
2024 PCM 10th International Conference on Automation, Robotics, and Applications (ICARA 2024) (http://www.icara.us/), February 22-24, 2024, in Athens, Greece
2023 PCM 4th International Conference on Medical Imaging and Computer-Aided Diagnosis (MICAD2023, MICCAI endorsed), Cambridge, UK, Dec 9-10, 2023
2023 Chair of the IROS 2023 Regular session “Image-Guided Surgical Robotics”, Detroit, USA
2023 PCM ICIS-2023 (IEEE/ACIS 23rd International Conference on Computer and Information Science)
2023 TCM 3rd International Conference on Robotics, Automation and Artificial Intelligence RAAI Singapore, December 14-16, 2023
2023 Associate Editor (AE) IEEE CASE Automation Science and Engineering
2023 TCM, ATIP 2023 (2023 Aisa Conference on Trends in Image Processing), Seoul, South Korea, June 23-25, 2023
2023 TCM, The 7th International Conference on Advances in Image Processing, ICAIP, November 17-19, 2023, Beijing
2023 Publication Chair, CCRIS, 4th International Conference on Control, Robotics and Intelligent System (CCRIS 2023) will take place in Guangzhou, China during August 25-27, 2023
2023 PCM 3rd ACIS International Conference of Artificial Intelligence (IAI 2023) 2023 PCM 10th International Conference on Computational Science Intelligence Applied Informatics (CSII 2023) London July 14-16
2023 PCM 6th Asia Conference on Cognitive Engineering and Intelligent Interaction CEII2023 Hong Kong, 15 Dec to 16, 2023
2023 PCM 6th International Conference on Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (MLNLP 2023), Sanya, China, Dec. 27-29, 2023
2023 TCM, International Conference on Automation, Control and Electronics Engineering (CACEE 2023), Chongqing, China, October 20-22, http://www.cacee2023.net 2023 PCM ISVC Lake Tahoe, Nevada, October 16-18, 2023.
2023, TC, ICUASA 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aerial Systems and Aerospace
2023 Steering TCM, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering (ICMME2023), Xi’an, China April 28-29, 2023
2023 PCM for CSCWD (Int’l Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design)
2023 8th International Conference on Automation, Control and Robotics Engineering (CACRE 2023), Guangzhou, China, July, 2023
2023 TCM 2nd Asia Conference on Advanced Robotics, Automation, and Control Engineering (ARACE 2023), Chengdu, China during August 18-20, 2023
2023 TCM 2023 International Conference on Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, FAIML 2023 Beijing, China on April 14-16, 2023
2023 TPC 2023 2nd Asia Conference on Algorithms, Computing and Machine Learning (CACML 2023)
2023 Program Co-Chair and Technical Committee International Conference on Robotics and Automation Sciences (ICRAS 2023)
2022 & 2023, TPC International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Bioinformatics (ICBEB)

2022 Program Committee member (PCM) IEEE CSCWD
2022 PC Chair The 2nd International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Mechatronics Technology (ICEEMT 2022), Qingdao July 1-3, 2022.
2022 SNPD2022-Summer program committee
2022 PCM 5th International Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics (ICRoM 2022)
2022 Associate Editor (AE) IEEE CASE Automation Science and Engineering
2022 Technical Committee, ICRAS 6th International Conference on Robotics and Automation Sciences
2021 Technical Committee, IEEE Consumer Technology Society (CTSoc)
2021 Regional chair, BHI-BSN 2021 in Italy (Milan)
2021 TPC member M2VIP2021

2021 Video Chair, ICRA (Flagship robotics conference), Xi’an, China 2021 Regional chair, BHI-BSN 2021 in Italy (Milan)
2020 program committee of CSCWD (2020 IEEE 24th International Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design)
2020 Program committee of CSII (The 7th International Conference on Computational Science/ Intelligence Applied Informatics)
2020 Technical committee member, 4th International Conference on Automation, Control, and Robots (ICACR 2020), Rome, Italy, October 11 – 13, 2020.
2019 Technical committee Int’l Conf. on Intelligent Medicine and Health, Ningbo, China, July 1-3, 2019
2019 Program Chair, Int’l Conf. on Mechatronic Systems and Robots (ICMSR) 2019 Associate Editor for IEEE CASE for the track focusing on mechatronics 2019 PC Member for IEEE Conf. on Computer and Infor. Science (ICIS)
2018 Area Chair/PC member, MICCAI Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention
2018 PC Member, ACCAS2018 (The 14th Asian Conference on Computer Aided Surgery)
2018 Program Co-Chair, IEEE International Conference on Real-time Computing and Robotics (IEEE RCAR)
2018 Program Committee Member, RiTA2018
2018 Program Chair, Int’l Conf. on Mechatronic Systems and Robots (ICMSR) 2018 Publication Chair, IRC Conference on Science, Engineering and Technology(IRC-SET)
2018 Publicity/Exhibits Chair, IEEE Int’l Conf on Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics (ICARM)
2018 Technical organizing committee, ICIS: 17th IEEE/ACIS Int’l Conf. on Computer and Information Science
2018 Associate Editor, BioRob2018
2018 Scientific Committee Judge for BES 12th Scientific Meeting 2018 Program Committee Member, WCICA
2018 Technical Committee, ICBCB, Int’l Conf. Bioinfo. and Comput. Biology 2017 Publicity Chair, IEEE Conf. on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)
2017 Program Chair, Int’l Conf. on Advanced Robotics (ICAR)
2017 Workshop Chair, ICRA 2017 workshop on C4R Surgical Robots
2017 Program Chair, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Cybernetics & Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Automation & Mechatronics (CIS & RAM)
2017 Program Committee Member, ROBIO2017 2017 Program Committee Member, RiTA2017
2017 Session Chair on Medical Robotics, IROS2017 2017 Award Committee Co-Chair, ICIA2017
2017 Award Committee Co-Chair, RCAR2017
2016 Conf. Editor, IEEE RAS/EMBS BIOROB2016
2016 Workshop Chair, BIOROB2016 Workshop on Surgical Robotics 2016 Program Chair, IEEE Conf. on Information and Automation (ICIA) 2016 PC(Program Committee) Member, RiTA2016
2016 PC Member, IEEE Conf. on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO) 2016 PC Member, The 7th Chinese Conf. on Pattern Recognition (CCPR) 2016 PC Member, ICBME16, 2016 Int’l Conf. on Biomedical Engineering
2016 PC Member, AMC16, IEEE 14th Int’l Workshop on Adv. Motion Control 2015 PC Member, WACBE World Congress on Bioengineering 2015
2015 Publicity Chair, Asian Conf. on Computer Aided Surgery (ACCAS)
2015 Publicity Chair, IEEE Conf. on Cybernetics & Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Automation & Mechatronics (CIS & RAM 2015)
2014 Awards Committee Co-Chair, IEEE Conf. on Information and Automation (ICIA 2014)
2014 Publicity Chair, IEEE Conf. on CYBER Tech in Auto., Control, and Intelligent Systems (CYBER 2014)
2014 Program Committee Member, The 2014 IEEE Conf. on Information Science and Technology (ICIST 2014)
2014 Program Committee Member & Organized Session Chair, The 2014 World Congress on Intelligent Control and Automation (WCICA)
2013 Registration Chair, IEEE Conf. on Cybernetics & Intelligent Systems and Robotics, Automation & Mechatronics (CIS & RAM 2013)
2013 Publications Chair, IEEE Conf. on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2013) 2013 Program Chair, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Inf. and Auto. (ICIA2013)
2012 Regional Program Co-Chair, IEEE ICAL: Int’l Conf. on Auto. and Log. 2012 Publicity Committee Co-Chair, IEEE ICIA/ISBE 2012
2011 Publicity Committee Co-Chair, IEEE ICIA/ISIT 2011
2010 Publicity Committee Co-Chair, The 8th World Congress on Intelligent Control and Automation (WCICA 2010)
2010 PC Member, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Automation and Logistics (ICAL 2010)

2009 PC Member, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Automation and Logistics (ICAL 2009)

2008 PC Member, IEEE/ASME Int’l Conf. on Adv. Int. Mechatronics (AIM)

2008 PC Member, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Automation and Logistics (ICAL 2008)

2007 PC Member, IEEE Int’l Conf. on Automation and Logistics (ICAL 2007)

Professional Editorship and Membership:

Associate Editor, IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, 2023-
Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
Associate Editor, Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing
Associate Editor, World Scientific Journal: Unmanned Systems
Associate Editor, Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics
Associate Editor, Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 2022-
Editorial Board Member: ElectronicsMDPI; ActuatorsMDPI; MachinesMDPI
Member: IEEE CTSoc Sensors and Actuators Technical Committee (SEA TC)
Standards Liaison: IEEE CTSoc Sensors and Actuators Technical Committee
Founding Member: IEEE SMC Technical Committee on Interactive and Wearable Computing and Devices

IEEE Senior Member
ASME Member
MICCAI Member
Member, Singapore Biomedical Engineering Society
Financial Secretariat: IEEE Singapore Chapter: Systems, Man, and Cybernetics(SMC20122016)

Founding Member, IEEE SMC Technical Committee on Interactive and Wearable Computing and Devices
Guest Editor, Special Issue on C4R robots for Journal of Medical Robotics (2017)
VicePresident, Harvard Medical School Chinese Scholars and Scientists Association (HMSCSSA, 20102014)
Guest Editor, Special Issue on Medical Robotics for Springer J. of Robotics and Biomimetics (2014)
Proposal Reviewer, Kazakhstani Nat’l Center of Science and Tech. Evaluation
Research Proposal Reviewer, Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC)
Proposal Reviewer, Chilean National Science and Technology Commission

Science Robotics, Advanced Materials, Advanced Science, Advanced Functional Materials, IEEE Transactions on Robotics
IEEE Trans. on Auto. Science and Eng. IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Tech IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics IEEE Transactions on Communications IEEE Sensors Journal
IEEE Communications Magazine IEEE Networks ABME/TBME/TMI/TIE
IEEE ICRA IROS ROBIO CIS-RAM CASE ICMA EMBS ICIA WACBE

Departmental/University Service:

  • Department scholarship committee, Chair
  • Department outreach & publicity committee
  • Ph.D. thesis and exam committee
  • FOE Tier1 and Tier 2 research proposal review committee
  • NGS program admission interview panel (2016)
  • Biorobotics and Bioimaging Cluster Seminar Coordinator

Invited Talks

● 2024 Keynote, IROS Workshop on Multisensory Transparency-Augmented Teleoperation, UAE
● 2024 Keynote, 3rd IEEE International Conference on Micro/Nano Sensors for AI, Healthcare, and Robotics Engineering (IEEE-NSENS 2024), 2-3 March, Shenzhen, China
● 2024 Keynote, 2024 International Conference on Machine Intelligence and Digital Applications, May 30-31, Ningbo, China
● 2024 Keynote, International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Robotics (CISR 2024), March 7-9, 2024, Changsha, China
● 2023 Distinguished talk, Int. Conf. on Robotics, Automation and Intelligent Control (ICRAIC 2023), Dec 15
● 2023 Plenary, Int. Conf. on Robot Intelligence Technology and Applications, RITA, October 23-25, 2023, Dubai, UAE
● 2023 Keynote, International Conference on Big Data, Computational Intelligence and Applications (BDCIA2023), Nov, Huanggang, China
● 2023 Keynote, The 3rd International Conference on Mechanical Design and Smart Manufacturing (MDSM2023), Wuhan, China, August 25-27, 2023
● 2023 Plenary, Asia Conference on Advanced Robotics, Automation, and Control Engineering (ARACE 2023), Chengdu, China, August 18-20, 2023
● 2023 Keynote, International Conference on Image, Vision and Intelligent Systems, ICIVIS 2023
● 2023 Keynote, International Conference on Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, FAIML 2023 Beijing, China, April 14-16, 2023
● 2023 Plenary, RoboAICon2023 (Robotics & AI Research Conference), 23-25 March 2023, Rome, Italy

2024 Invited, ICRA workshop “Human-centric Multilateral Teleoperation: Perception, Telecommunication, and Coordination”
2024 Invited, ICRA workshop “Surgical Robotics in Embodied AI Era”
2023 Invited, CUHK PWH Neurosurgery team research meeting, Skullbot, 23/8/2023
2023 Invited, 5th International Conference on Image, Video Processing and Artificial Intelligence (IVPAI2023), Shenzhen, China, December 14-15, 2023.
2023 Invited Technical Talk, IEEE CTSoc, Consumer Technology Society (CTSoc)’s technical activities.
2023 Invited, International Conference on Electronics, Communications and Networks (CECNet2023) November 3-6, 2023, Chengdu, China
2023 CVPR Workshop on Medical Computer Vision and Health Informatics, Invited Speaker
2023 ICRA workshop “Force and shape perception for surgical instruments and robots” with Invited Seminar of Multidimensional Visual-tactile Sensing and Perception for Dexterous Surgical Robotics
2023 ICRA Invited Speaker for workshop Origami-based structures for designing soft robots with new capabilities, Deployable and foldable active mechanisms in confined spaces
20223 Invited, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma and the Italy Chapter of the IEEE Sensors Council
2022 Invited Talk, PRCV (The 5th Chinese Conference on Pattern Recognition and Computer Vision), Forum of The current and future machine imaging for medica robots, 26 Dec, 2022
2022 Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR, HK) Surgical robots and monkey king
2022 Harbin Engineering University (HEU), China, School of Automation (Host: Prof. Zhang Wei)
2022 Invited Speaker, Embodied AI Workshop by Huawei Technology Ltd (Host: Dr. Wang Bin), 26 Nov 2022

2022 Keynote for 2nd International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Mecha-tronics Technology (ICEEMT 2022) Qingdao July 1-3 2022

2021 ISMR (Medical Robotics) Talk 1: “Flexible Endoluminal Robotics with Min-imal Invasiveness and Exposure” for workshop of “Model-based Design, Sensing,and Control of Continuum Manipulators and Robotic Flexible Instruments“

2021ISMR Talk 2: “Multidimensional Sensing and Perception for Dexterous MedicalRobotics” for workshop of “Sensing and Feedback in Dexterous Surgical Robotics”2021

2021 keynote speech at the 2021 ICRA (International Conference on Robotics andAutomation) RoPat workshop on ‘Robot-Assisted Systems for Medical Training’2021

2021 ICEE workshop on Safeguarding Public Health During Infectious DiseasePandemics Using Medical Robotics, Wearable Technology, and AI2021

2020 IEEE EMB Singapore Symposium2020

Plenary, Int’l Conf. on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO 2019) 2019
Plenary, Int’l Conf. on BDML 2019 2019
Invited at IROS2019 Workshop on Robots for Anatomy 2019
Plenary, Int’l Conf. on Mechatronic Systems and Robots (ICMSR 2019) 2019
Keynote, Int’l Conf. on Intelligent Robotics and Applications (ICIRA) 2019
Invited for 5th symposium on cardio-bioengineering 2018
IROS Workshop1: Assistive Precision Neurosurgery 2018
IROS Workshop2: Continuum Soft Robots (CSR) 2018
Invited at WHUT (Wuhan University of Technology) 2018
Invited for 2018 AIChE Workshop on 2D material and soft robots 2018
Invited Talk for Asian Summit on Robotic Surgery (ASRS) 2018 2018
Tutorial for Robotics Summer School at HUST (Huazhong Univ of ST) 2018
Keynote on surgical robotics, Smart Robotic Congress-SG 2018
Workshop Talk Invitation: Soft Robotics at Small Scales, IEEE RoboSoft 2018
Keynote Speech to Int’l Symposium on Human-Centered Robotics: HCR 2018
Invited Talk at IEEE NEMS 2018 2018
Plenary, Int’l Conf. on Mechatronic Systems and Robots (ICMSR 2018) 2018
Ohio State University 2018
Webinar NJIT 2018
University of Nebraska–Lincoln 2018
University of Texas at Dallas 2018
India-EMBO symposium: guest speaker invitation 2018
Plenary speaker for IEEE ICIA2017, Information and Automation 2017
Teaching session at KKH Hospital Neurorehab. and Bioeng. 2017
Waterloo-NUS workshop on BME 2017
KAIST-NUS workshop on Global Healthcare 2017
Soft Robotics Workshop at Singapore Int’l Robo Expo (SIRE) 2017
Soft Robotics Workshop by NR2PO at A-Star 2017
Soochow University, China 2017
South Methodist University, USA 2017
University of Connecticut, USA 2017
India-EMBO symposium: GUEST SPEAKER invitation 2017
University of Toronto, Canada 2017
Northeastern University of China 2016
South University of Science and Technology of China 2016
Singapore-Finland Seminar on Smart Innovations for Health & Education 2016
Shanghai Int’l Symposium on Human-Centered Robotics (HCR 2016) 2016
BIOROB2016 Workshop on Surgical Robotics 2016
NUH Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Course, April 2015
East China University of Science and Technology 2015
University of Texas at Dallas 2015
Soochow University 2015
Tsinghua University 2015
Inaugural National Neuroscience Institute NNI-SINAPSE Symposium 2014
5th Int’l Workshop for Young Robotics Researchers 2013
The 2013 Workshop on Therapeutic Devices 2013
The 2012 Workshop on Robotics, UESTC, China 2012
Chinese University of Hong Kong 2012
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA 2012
University of Toronto, Canada 2011
National University of Singapore, Singapore 2011
Children’s National Medical Center, Washington DC, USA 2011
The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada 2011

Teaching Experience

ENG2760 Probability for engineers;
ELE3103 Robotic Perception and Intelligence;
ELE5600 Advanced Perception for Intelligent Robotics

ELEG5757 Intelligent Wearable Electronics

EG3301R Design-Centric Projects (4.5/5) 2017-2019
BN2204 Biomechanics (4.2/5) 2020
BN3101 Biomedical Engineering Design (4.4/5) 2020
BN5101 Biomedical Engineering Systems (4.3/5) 2020
BN6209 Neurotechnology (4.7/5) 2016-2017
BN5209 Neurosensors and Signal Processing (4.68/5) 2014-2015
Digital Circuits and Systems (Teaching Assistant) 2007
Bioinformatics (Teaching Assistant) 2006

Awards and Honors

2023, Best Paper award at The 2023 International Conference on Biomimetic Intelligence and Robotics & Medical Robotics Forum (ICBIR+MRF 2023) July 25 to 28
2023, Best Poster award at soft robotics workshop of IEEE RAS flagship ICRA 2023 Workshop on New Evolutions in Surgical Robotics, Jun 2023
2023, 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, Silver Medal for project Vision-guided Fiberoptic Nasotracheal Intubation Robot, April 2023
2023, 3rd Place, Skull mountable robot, the 9th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Jun 2023
2023, top 9 of the Surgical Robot Challenge, Hamlyn Centre’s Surgical Robot Challenge, London, UK, Jun 2023
2022, Health Longevity Catalyst Award by NAM, National Academy of Medicine (US)
2022, listed among the world’s top 2% most cited and influential scientists, ranked by Stanford University
2021, EMedic Global Best Presentation Award and Silver Medal with 3000USD cash award: Skullbot
2021, EMedic Global Technical Challenge Award: Magnetic Capsule
2020, 2nd place winner of the EMB Singapore Symposium student abstract competition

2019, NUS Engineering Young Researcher Award
2019, Young Investigator Award, ICBHI (Biomedical and Health Informatics) 2019 2019, Best paper award in biomimetics for IEEE ROBIO 2019 (2/403/739)
2019, Best Structure Award for Global Innovation Design Competition of Medical Robotics (1/53)
2019, Best poster award at Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics: AIM 2019 soft robotics workshop
2019, CeLS Safety Awards for an outstanding lab safety record
2018, Early Career Award from IFMBE/IAMBE, International Academy for Medical and Biological Engineering
2018, Interstellar Early Career Investigator Award, by Japan Agency for Medical R&D and New York Academy of Sciences
2018, FoE 32nd Innovation & Research Award (IRA High Achievement) for DCP Project Supervised
2018, Best paper finalist for IEEE ROBIO 2018 (16/606)
2018, NUS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher (OUR) Prize as Project Advisor
2018, Silver Award for BES Research Presentation, Biomedical Engineering Society 12th Scientific Meeting BES12SM
2018, EMedic Global 2018 Bronze Medal with cash award: Gross Hematuria Detection and Feedback Control
2018, Outstanding Researcher Award in Biorobotics by Venus International Foundation (VIF-VIHA)
2018, EMedic Global 2018 finalist: Minimally Invasive Needling Biopsy (MINB) 2018, European initiative EPIC award for Expert Visits
2017, EMedic Global 2017 Gold Medal: Adaptive and Compliant Transoral Robotic Surgery (ACTORS), Highest cash award, 1/20
2017, Soft Robot Speed Challenge finalist for IEEE ICRA2017 2017, Best Paper finalist for IEEE ICVS2017
2016, Gold award (undergraduate design category) in the Biomedical Engineering Society 10th Scientific Meeting (BES10SM) at Singapore for FYP (Yoew Bok Seng) project on Magnetic Robotic Intervention, 14th May 2016
2016, Best Student Paper for IEEE RCAR2016: Real-time Computing and Robotics 2016, Best Paper finalist for IEEE ICMA Mechatronics/Automation (5/707) 2016, Best Paper finalist for IEEE CSCWD2016, Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design
2015, Best Paper for IEEE CCECE 2015, IEEE Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (1/442)
2015, Best Paper finalist for IEEE ICIA2015, Information and Automation (5/580) 2014, Best Paper for IEEE CYBER2014: CYBER Tech in Automation, Control, and Intelligent Systems (1/156)
2014, Gold award in the Biomedical Engineering Society 8th Scientific Meeting (BES8SM) at Singapore for FYP (Teo Li Ting Lynette) project on Robotic Endoscopy System, for platform presentation under the university (undergraduate) category
2013, NUS Young Investigators Award (YIA)
2013, Finalist for MIT Technology Review TR35 Innovators under age of 35 2013, Best Paper for IEEE ROBIO 2013 (1/605)
2013, Best paper finalist for IEEE ROBIO 2013 (20/605)
2013, Finalist for Young Investigators Award (YIA) track of ICBME 2013 2013, Finalist for Singapore NRF fellowship 2013
2012, Best paper finalist for IEEE ROBIO 2012 (5/553)
2006, CNLink Scholarship for Overseas Research awarded by CUHK 2006, Best paper finalist for IEEE ROBIO2006 (5 out of 608 submissions)
2005, Excellent Award of CUHK Vice-chancellor’s cup of student innovation
B.S., The Supreme University Scholarship, 3 times (The highest grade scholarship, 10 awards out of 15,000 students of HEU)

Major Research Grant Support (8+ million USD as PI/PC: Principal Investigator/Coordinator)

  • 2023 HK RGC-RIF Endobronchial Multi-modal Biopsy  ~12.8million HKD PC/PI
  • 2023 HK RGC-GRF Transoral Bimodal Endomicroscopy-assisted Adaptive Manipulations  ~1.2 million HKD PI
  • 2022 HK RGC-CRF Intubation Robotics 8.5 million HKD PC/PI (1 USD=7.85 HKD)
  • 2022 HK RGC-CRF Capsule Robotics 7.5 million HKD PC/PI
  • 2022 SZSTC Type-C GI Robotics/sensing 1 million RMB PI (1 USD=7.18 RMB)
  • 2022 GDSTC Flexible Robotics/sensing 1 million RMB PI
  •  2021 CUHK SHIAE grant 600k HKD PI
  • 2021 CUHK VTL grant 297k HKD PI2021 CUHK FOE direct grant 150k HKD PI2021 ELE grant on Untethered Flexible Robotics for Navigation in Narrow and Confined Space, 300k HKD2021 CUHK strategy grant on medical robotics 1.5 mil HKD
  •  Adaptive and Compliant Transoral Robotic Surgery with Flexible Manipulators and Intelligent Guidance- NMRC BnB Bedside & Bench, Role: PI (Total Project Value TPV: 2.4 million SGD) 2015-2020 (1 USD=1.4 SGD)
  • HENA: Hydrogel-Matrix Expedited Nitinol Actuation- Ministry Of Education (MOE) AcRF Tier 1, Role: PI, TPV: 180,000 SGD 2020-2023
  • Patient-administered home-based ENT monitoring based on soft robotic endoscopy- Ministry Of Education (MOE) AcRF Tier 1, Role: PI, TPV: 150,527 SGD
    2018-2021
  • SkullBot- TAP Grant, Role: PI (Total Project Value TPV: 200,000 SGD) 2019-2020
  • Sensing Adaptive Control (SEACAT)- Office of Naval Research Global, ONRG- NICOP-N62909-15-1-2029, Role: PI (TPV: 500,000 USD) 2015-2019
  • Constrained Navigation of Flexible Robots in Transnasal Procedures- Ministry Of Education (MOE) AcRF Tier 2, Role: PI (TPV: 768,760 SGD) 2015-2018
  • Variable stiffness robotics with intelligent sensing and control- China Jiangsu Provincial Fund, Role: PI (TPV: 252,500 USD, 1.7 Mil RMB) 2015-2018
  • Biologically Inspired Artificial Tentacles for Transnasal Procedures – Singapore Millennium Foundation, Role: PI (TPV: 620,000 SGD) 2015-2018
  • Multimodal Augmented Reality for Enhanced Learning in Robotic Surgery – NUS Provost LIFT – Learning Innovation Fund – Technology, Role: PI (TPV: 63,300 SGD) 2014-2015
  • Magnetically Actuated Micro-robotics – NUS Young Investigators Award (YIA), Role: PI (TPV: 500,000 SGD) 2014-2017
  • Core Technologies of Soft Continuum Robotics and Sensing for Surgery – MOE AcRF Tier 2 Funding, Role: PI (TPV: 409,553.43 SGD) 2014-2017
  • Human-Robot Collaborative Systems in Industrial Unstructured Environments – ASTAR TSRP, TPV (20 Million SGD TPV), Role: co-PI 2013-2016
  • Key Technologies for Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery: Robotized Navigation – Singapore Academic Research Fund, Role: PI 2013-2016
  • Insightful Learning of Image-Guided Robotic Surgery System through Hands-on Educational Projects – Singapore Teaching Enhancement Grant, Role: PI 2012-2013
  • Image-Guided Robotic System for Laparoscopic Surgery – Singapore Academic Research Fund, Role: PI 2012-2015

Selected Publications for the Past 3 Years (as of July 2023)

[Google Scholar] See Prof. Ren’s Google Scholar profile for the full publication and citation record.

Sim-to-Real transfer of soft robotic navigation strategies that learns from the virtual eye-in-hand vision
J Lai, TA Ren, W Yue, S Su, JYK Chan, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics
2023
AMagPoseNet: Real-Time 6-DoF magnet pose estimation by dual-domain few-shot learning from prior model
S Su, S Yuan, M Xu, H Gao, X Yang, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics
2023
Fault-tolerant six-axis FBG force/moment sensing for robotic interventions
T Li, J Guo, H Zheng, S Wang, L Qiu, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
2023
Deployable parallelogram mechanism and constrained bendable segment for flexible robot toward transoral procedures
C Li, X Gu, X Xiao, CM Lim, X Zuo, Y Li, X Duan, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics
2023
Confidence-aware paced-curriculum learning by label smoothing for surgical scene understanding
M Xu, M Islam, B Glocker, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
2023
Federated semi-supervised learning for medical image segmentation via pseudo-label denoising
L Qiu, J Cheng, H Gao, W Xiong*, H Ren*
IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics
2023
Flexible needle steering with tethered and untethered actuation: current states, targeting errors, challenges, and opportunities
M Lu, Y Zhang, CM Lim, H Ren*
Annals of Biomedical Engineering 51 (5), 905-924
2023
Design of a modular 3-D force sensor with fiber Bragg gratings for continuum surgical robot
H Wang, Z Du, L Wang, Y Zhang, X Wang, Y Gao, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
2023
A survey of transoral robotic mechanisms: distal dexterity, variable stiffness, and triangulation
X Gu, H Ren*
Cyborg and Bionic Systems 4, 0007
2023
Rethinking feature extraction: gradient-based localized feature extraction for end-to-end surgical downstream tasks
W Pang, M Islam, S Mitheran, L Seenivasan, M Xu, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 7 (4), 12623-12630
2022
Robust position control of a continuum manipulator based on selective approach and Koopman operator
H Wang+, W Liang, B Liang, H Ren*, Z Du*, Y Wu
IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
2023
Information loss challenges in surgical navigation systems: from information fusion to ai-based approaches
L Xu, H Zhang, J Wang, A Li, S Song, H Ren*, L Qi*, J Gu*, M Meng*
Information Fusion (IF: 18.6)
2022
Bioinspired soft robotics: how do we learn from creatures?
Y Yang, Z He, P Jiao, H Ren*
IEEE Reviews in Biomedical Engineering (IF: 17.6)
2022
SAVAnet: Surgical Action-driven Visual Attention Network for autonomous endoscope control
H Gao, W Fan, L Qiu, X Yang, Z Li, X Zuo, Y Li, M Meng, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
2022
Versatile motion generation of magnetic origami spring robots in the uniform magnetic field
S Yuan, S Cao, J Xue, S Su, J Yan, M Wang, W Yue, SS Cheng, J Liu, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 7 (4), 10486-10493
2022
Magnetically steerable serial and parallel structures by mold‐free origami templating and domain setting
BS Yeow, H Yang, M Sivaperuman Kalairaj, H Gao, CJ Cai, S Xu, H Ren*
Advanced Materials Technologies 7 (6), 2101140 (IF: 8.8)
2022
Highly Stretchable Flame-Retardant Skin for Soft Robotics with Hydrogel–Montmorillonite-Based Translucent Matrix
H Banerjee, M Sivaperuman Kalairaj, TH Chang, F Fu, PY Chen*, H Ren*
Soft Robotics 9 (1), 98-118
2022
Global-reasoned multi-task learning model for surgical scene understanding
L Seenivasan, S Mitheran, M Islam, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 7 (2), 3858-3865
2022
An active magnetic bearing with controllable permanent-magnet bias field
S Xu, J Sun, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 27 (5), 3474-3481
2022
Chip-Less Real-Time Wireless Sensing of Endotracheal Intubation Tubes by Printing and Mounting Conformable Antenna Tag
G Ponraj, CJ Cai, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 7 (2), 2369-2376
2022
Concurrently bendable and rotatable continuum tubular robot for omnidirectional multi-core transurethral prostate biopsy
X Xiao, Y Wu, Q Wu, H Ren*
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing 60 (1), 229-238
2022
U-RSNet: An unsupervised probabilistic model for joint registration and segmentation
L Qiu, H Ren*
Neurocomputing 450, 264-274 (IF: 6)
2021
Glioblastoma multiforme prognosis: MRI missing modality generation, segmentation and radiogenomic survival prediction
M Islam, N Wijethilake, H Ren*
Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics 91, 101906
2021
RSegNet: a joint learning framework for deformable Registration and Segmentation
L Qiu, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering 19 (3), 2499-2513
2021
Dynamic piezoelectric tactile sensor for tissue hardness measurement using symmetrical flexure hinges and anisotropic vibration modes
W Yue, F Ju, Y Zhang, Y Yun, T Li, ZT Tse, H Ren*
IEEE Sensors Journal
2021
Stretchable capacitive pressure sensing sleeve deployable onto catheter balloons towards continuous intra-abdominal pressure monitoring
K Senthil Kumar, Z Xu, M Sivaperuman Kalairaj, G Ponraj, H Huang, H Ren*
Biosensors 11 (5), 156
2021
Omnidirectional steerable forceps with flexible joints and skin-like stretchable strain sensors
KS Kumar, X Xiao, MS Kalairaj, G Ponraj, C Li, CJ Cai, CM Lim, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 27 (2), 713-724
2021
Multiphysics simulation of magnetically actuated robotic origami worms
R Swaminathan, CJ Cai, S Yuan, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 6 (3), 4923-4930
2021
A miniature manipulator with variable stiffness towards minimally invasive transluminal endoscopic surgery
C Li, Y Yan, X Xiao, X Gu, H Gao, X Duan, X Zuo, Y Li, H Ren*
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters 6 (3), 5541-5548
2021
ST-MTL: Spatio-Temporal Multitask Learning Model to predict scanpath while tracking instruments in robotic surgery
M Islam, VS Vibashan, CM Lim, H Ren*
Medical Image Analysis 67, 101837
2021
A tubular dual-roller bending mechanism toward robotic transurethral prostate biopsy
X Xiao, C Li, X Gu, Y Yan, Y Wu, Q Wu, E Chiong, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 26 (5), 2483-2494
2020
Shape tracking of flexible morphing matters from depth images
L Seenivasan, F Bai, M Ji, X Gu, ZTH Tse, H Ren*
IEEE Sensors Journal 21 (6), 8234-8244
2020
Diversified and untethered motion generation via crease patterning from magnetically actuated caterpillar-inspired origami robot
CJ Cai, X Xiao, MS Kalairaj, IJJ Lee, AK Mugilvannan, BS Yeow, JH Tan, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 26 (3), 1678-1688
2020
Stent deployment detection using radio frequency‐based sensor and convolutional neural networks
M Xu, L Seenivasan, LLL Yeo, H Ren*
Advanced Intelligent Systems 2 (10), 2000092
2020
Fully organic compliant dry electrodes self-adhesive to skin for long-term motion-robust epidermal biopotential monitoring
L Zhang+, KS Kumar+, H He, CJ Cai, X He, H Gao, S Yue, C Li, RCS Seet, H Ren*, J Ouyang*
Nature Communications 11 (1), 4683
2020
Radiogenomics model for overall survival prediction of glioblastoma
N Wijethilake, M Islam, H Ren*
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing 58, 1767-1777
2020
Soft robotic gripper driven by flexible shafts for simultaneous grasping and in-hand cap manipulation
Q Liu, X Gu, N Tan, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering 18 (3), 1134-1143
2020
Needle-size bending actuators based on controlled nitinol curvatures and elastic structures
MS Kalairaj, BS Yeow, CM Lim, H Ren*
Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics 12 (3)
2020
Origami-Layer-Jamming deployable surgical retractor with variable stiffness and tactile sensing
H Banerjee, TK Li, G Ponraj, SK Kirthika, CM Lim, H Ren*
Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics 12 (3), 031010
2020
Reaction force mapping by 3-axis tactile sensing with arbitrary angles for tissue hard-inclusion localization
T Li, A Pan, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 68 (1), 26-35
2020
The feasibility of using a smartphone magnetometer for assisting needle placement
Z Zhao, S Xu, BJ Wood, H Ren, ZTH Tse
Annals of Biomedical Engineering 48 (4), 1147-1156
2020
Depth estimation of hard inclusions in soft tissue by autonomous robotic palpation using deep recurrent neural network
B Xiao, W Xu, J Guo, HK Lam, G Jia, W Hong, H Ren*
IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering 17 (4), 1791-1799
2020
Ultrasound needle segmentation and trajectory prediction using excitation network
JY Lee, M Islam, JR Woh, TSM Washeem, LYC Ngoh, WK Wong, H Ren*
International Journal of Computer-Assisted Radiology and Surgery 15 (3), 437-443
2020
Nitinol actuated soft structures towards transnasal drug delivery: A pilot cadaver study
M Sivaperuman Kalairaj, BS Yeow, CM Lim, H Ren*
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing 58, 611-623
2020
Portable body-attached positioning mechanism toward robotic needle intervention
X Xiao, H Gao, C Li, L Qiu, KS Kumar, CJ Cai, BS Bhola, NKK King, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 25 (2), 1105-1116
2020
A bioinspired analogous nerve towards artificial intelligence
X Liao, W Song, X Zhang, C Yan, T Li, H Ren, C Liu, Y Wang, Y Zheng
Nature Communications 11 (1), 268
2020
A review of printable flexible and stretchable tactile sensors
K Senthil Kumar, PY Chen, H Ren*
Research 2019
2019
Dispersion characterization of magnetic actuated needleless injections with particle image velocimetry
MQY Yee, BS Yeow, H Ren*
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing 57, 2435-2447
2019
Distributed curvature sensing and shape reconstruction for soft manipulators with irregular cross sections based on parallel dual-FBG arrays
T Li, L Qiu, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 25 (1), 406-417
2019
Flexible robot with variable stiffness in transoral surgery
C Li, X Gu, X Xiao, CM Lim, H Ren*
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics 25 (1), 1-10
2019
Multifunctional metallic backbones for origami robotics with strain sensing and wireless communication capabilities
H Yang+, BS Yeow+, Z Li, K Li, TH Chang, L Jing, Y Li, JS Ho, H Ren, P Chen*
Science Robotics 4 (33), eaax7020
2019

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