PolyU Scholars Hub
Prof. MA Yuan 馬源
Assistant Professor
Area of Specialization: Haptics, human-machine mechanical interface, sensors and actuators for wearable electronics, tribology, cross-scale and multi-physics modeling, application of artificial intelligence
- FG604
- 2766-7823
- y.ma@polyu.edu.hk
- Personal Website
ORCID ID
SCOPUS IDBiography
BEng & MEng (Tsinghua); PhD (UC Berkeley)
Short Description
Prof. Yuan Ma received his bachelor’s and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering and materials science from Tsinghua University, Beijing in 2011 and 2013, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2018. Prior to joining the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2021, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Texas A&M University.
Prof. Ma’s research interest includes micro/nano scale mechanical and tribological behavior of human-machine interfaces, haptics metamaterials development, wearable devices with piezoelectret materials, and application of artificial intelligence in human-machine interactions. He is specifically interested in developing advanced human-machine mechanical interfaces that enable high-efficiency, broadband, and reliable human-machine communications, with emphasis on studying the multi-physics interactions in touch interface, modeling non-linearity and tribology of skin, developing next-generation tactile surface and haptic actuator, and application of artificial intelligence (AI).
Selected Publications
- Xue, W., Ren, Y., Tang, Y., Gong, Z., Zhang, T., Chen, Z., Dong, X., Ma, X., Wang, Z., Xu, H., Zhao, J., and Ma, Y. "Interactive wearable digital devices for blind and partially sighted people". Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering 2, 425–439 (2025). (Sister Journal of Nature, Front Cover featured.)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44287-025-00170-w
- Jiang, M., Zheng, J., Tang, Y., Liu, H., Yao, Y., Zhou, J., Lin, W., Ma, Y., Liu, J., and Zhou J. "Retrievable hydrogel networks with confined microalgae for efficient antibiotic degradation and enhanced stress tolerance." Nature Communications 16, no. 1 (2025): 3160. (Sister Journal of Nature, IF=14.7)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58415-z - Yang, T., Ma, Y., and Zhang, P. "Computational identification and Stuart-Landau modeling of collective dynamical behaviors of octuple laminar diffusion flame oscillators." Combustion and Flame 275 (2025): 114090. (IF=4.18)
- Ma, Y., Li, X., Ma, X., Choi, C., Kruse, L., Lan, S. and Hipwell, M.C. "Predictive design of tactile friction for micro/nanostructured haptic surfaces." Communications Materials 6, no. 1 (2025): 1.(Sister Journal of Nature Communications, IF=7.5)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00724-9 - Tang, Y., Xu, J., Liu, Q., Hu, X., Xue, W., Li, Z., Lin, Z., Lin, H., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Z., Ma, X., Wang, J., Zhong, J., Wang, D., Jiang, H., Ma, Y., Advancing haptic interfaces for immersive experiences in the metaverse. Device 2024, 2(6), p.1-11. (Sister Journal of Cell)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.device.2024.100365 - Yang, T., Ma, Y. and Zhang, P., "Dynamical behavior of small-scale buoyant diffusion flames in externally swirling flows." Symmetry 16, no. 3 (2024): 292.
- Wang, Z., Chen, Y., Ma, Y., and Wang, J.,. "Bioinspired stimuli-responsive materials for soft actuators." Biomimetics 9, no. 3 (2024): 128.
- Sitangshu, C., Ma, Y., Sanghani, A., Cherif, M., Colgate, J.E., and Hipwell, M.C. "Preferential contamination in electroadhesive touchscreens: mechanisms, multiphysics model, and solutions." Advanced Materials Technologies 8, no. 16 (2023): 2300213.
- Pi, Y., Liu, Q., Li, Z., Zhao, D., Zhang, K., Liu, Z., Zhou, B., Lei, I., Ma, Y., Zhong, J.,Scalable and eco-friendly flexible loudspeakers for distributed human-machine interactions. npj Flexible Electronics 2023, 7(45), p.1-10. (IF=12.3)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41528-023-00278-9 - Li, Z., Ma, Y., Zhang, K., Wan, J., Zhao, D., Pi, Y., Chen, G., Zhang, J., Tang, W., Lin, L., Zhong, J., Air Permeable Vibrotactile Actuators for Wearable Wireless Haptics. Advanced Functional Materials 2023, 33(8), p.2211146. (IF=19.92)
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202211146 - Liu, J., Liu, Q., Lin, S., Leung, M.Y., Ma, Y. and Tao, X., Wearable Thermoelectric Generators: Materials, Structures, Fabrications, and Applications. Physica Status Solidi (RRL)–Rapid Research Letters 2023, p.2200502. (IF=3.27)
https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.202200502 - Ma, X., Kudtarkar, K., Chen, Y., Cunha, P., Ma, Y., Watanabe, K., Taniguchi, T., Qian, X., Hipwell, M.C., Wong, Z.J. and Lan, S., Coherent momentum control of forbidden excitons. Nature Communications 2022, 13(1), p.6916. (IF=17.69)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34740-5 - Ma, X., Ma, Y., Cunha, P., Liu, Q., Kudtarkar, K., Xu, D., Wang, J., Chen, Y., Wong, Z., Liu, M., Hipwell, M. Lan, S., “Strategical Deep Learning for Photonic Bound States in the Continuum”. Laser & Photonics Reviews 2022, 8, 2100658 (IF=11.14).
https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202100658 - Choi, C., Ma, Y., Li, X., Chatterjee, S., Sequeira, S., Friesen, R., Felts, J., Hipwell, M., "Surface Haptic Rendering of Virtual Shapes through Change in Surface Temperature". Science Robotics 2022, 7(63), eabl4543 (IF=27.54).
https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abl4543 - Yu, D. and Ma, Y.,. Investigations of fast vacuum pump-down processes between parallel isothermal disks. IEEE Transactions on Semiconductor Manufacturing 2022, 35(3), pp.556-568. (IF=2.79).
https://doi.org/10.1109/TSM.2022.3177697 - Li, X., Ma, Y., Choi, C., Ma, X., Chartterjee, S., Hipwell, M., "Nanotexture Shape and Surface Energy Impact on Electroadhesive Human-Machine Interface Performance". Advanced materials 2021, 33(31), 2008337 (IF=32.09, Feature Cover)
https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202008337 - Boonpuek, P., Ma, Y., Li, X., Choi, C., Hipwell, M., Felts, J., "Evaluation of the Electrowetting Effect on the Interfacial Mechanics Between Human Corneocytes and Nano-Asperities". Langmiur 2021, 37(14), 4056–4063 (IF=3.557)
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03170 - Choi, C., Ma, Y., Li, X., Hipwell, M., "Fingerpad topography beyond fingerprints: Understanding the Heterogeneity Effect of Finger Topography for Human-Machine Interface Modeling". ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2020, 13 (2), 3303-3310 (IF=10.38)
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c15827 - Ma, Y., Ghafari, A., Wu, Y., Bogy, D., "A Study of the Nanoscale Heat Transfer in the HDD Head–Disk Interface Based on a Static Touchdown Experiment". IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 2020, 56 (3), 1-7. (IF=1.730)
https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2019.2960262 - Li, X., Choi, C., Ma, Y., Boonpuek, P., Felts, J., Mullenbach, J., Shultz, C., Colgate, J., Hipwell, M., "Electrowetting: a consideration in electroadhesion". IEEE transactions on haptics 2020,13(03), 522-529. (IF=3.450)
https://doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2020.2979439 - Cheng, Q., Sakhalkar, S., Ghafari, A., Ma, Y., Bogy, D., "Dependence of nanoscale heat transfer across a closing gap on the substrate material and ambient humidity". Applied Physics Letters 2020, 116 (21), 213102. (IF=3.500)
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0010286 - Zhong, J., Ma, Y., Song, Y., Zhong, Q., Chu, Y., Karakurt, I., Bogy, D. B., Lin, L., "A Flexible Piezoelectret Actuator/Sensor Patch for Mechanical Human–Machine Interfaces". ACS nano 2019, 13 (6), 7107-7116. (IF=18.02)
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.9b02437 - Sakhalkar, S., Cheng, Q., Ghafari, A., Ma, Y., Bogy, D., "Numerical and experimental investigation of heat transfer across a nanoscale gap between a magnetic recording head and various media". Applied Physics Letters 2019, 115 (22), 223102. (IF=3.500)
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5119721 - Chu, Y., Zhong, J., Liu, H., Ma, Y., Liu, N., Song, Y., Liang, J., Shao, Z., Sun, Y., Dong, Y., "Human pulse diagnosis for medical assessments using a wearable piezoelectret sensing system". Advanced Functional Materials 2018, 28 (40), 1803413. (IF=16.836)
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201803413 - Ma, Y., Ghafari, A., Budaev, B. V., Bogy, D., "Measurement and simulation of nanoscale gap heat transfer using a read/write head with a contact sensor". IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 2016, 53 (2), 1-5. (IF=1.651)
https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2016.2604209 - Ma, Y., Ghafari, A., Budaev, B., Bogy, D., "Controlled heat flux measurement across a closing nanoscale gap and its comparison to theory". Applied Physics Letters 2016, 108 (21), 213105. (IF=3.500)
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4952449 - Ma, Y. , Xue, S., Peng, J.-P., Bogy, D., "Study of Head-Disk Interface Characterization Using Touchdown Sensor and Electromagnetic Signal in Hard Disk Drives". IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 2015, 51 (11), 1-4. (IF=1.651)
https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2015.2434371
