2025 Invited Speakers

Prof. Liyuan Sheng
Shenzhen Institute, Peking University, China

Speech Title: Optimizing Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the Hot Forged Ti-6Al-4V Alloy via Laser Shock Peening

Abstract: The hot forged Ti-6Al-4V alloy demonstrates well constructured microstructure and balanced mechanical properties, which promotes its widely application in aviation field. However, its relative poor resistance to wear and foreign object impact usually leads to the cumulative damage, causing sudden failure and serious accident. Though the conventional coating technology could improve the surface damage resistance, the interface always becomes the origin of failure. Comparatively, Laser shock peening (LSP) has attracted significant interest, due to its controlled processing accuracy and great surface plastic deformation capability, which could form gradient grain structure with the gradient strengthening effect. Nevertheless, the specific mechanism of microstructure evolution and mechanical properties enhancement of LSP processed hot forged Ti-6Al-4V alloy is still obscure. In present research, the hot forged Ti-6Al-4V alloy was processed by LSP to regulate its superficial microstructure and improve mechanical properties, helping to understand the inner mechansim. The results reveal that LSP could simultaneously result in the merging of ultra-fine α-Ti grains and refinement of coarse α-Ti grains, which reconstruct the dual-size grain structure. The crystal tilting and transformation promoted by the generation and movement of dislocations benefit the merging of ultra-fine grains. Due to the different slip systems in dual phases, β-Ti phases exhibit much greater response to slip under surface plastic deformation, which are enforced to deform and construct the shell structure by sliding and phase transformation, while the α-Ti phases act as the core to synergistically construct ‘core-shell’ like structure. The increase of LSP number promotes the well wrapping of the ‘core-shell’ like structure and strengthens it by abundant dislocations, which also forms the gradient grain structure from surface to inner. Since the microstructure regulation and crystal defects engineering, the LSP improves the surface damage resistance and mechanical properties of the hot forged Ti-6Al-4V alloy obviously, which indicates a new method to increase properties of the hot forged Ti-6Al-4V alloy component further.

Biography: Prof. Dr. Sheng received Ph.D. degree in Materials Physics and Chemistry from Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009. He is currently a Research Professor and vice-dean of Shenzhen Institute, Peking University. Now, he also act as the Topic editor and editorial board member of Materials, the associate editor of Advances In Mechanical Engineering and the youth editorial board member of Journal of Magnesium and Alloys. His research interests include intermetallic compounds, superalloys, biomedical metallic materials, biodegradable magnesium alloys, surface engineering, laser processing, crystal defects, and characterization. Prof. Sheng has published more than 200 research papers in refereed scientific journals and received a total citation of more than 8000 with h-index of 54.

 

Prof. Tingting Sun
Donghua University, China

Speech Title: Flexible thermoelectric materials and devices

Abstract: Within the development of Industry 4.0/5.0, smart wearable devices, serving as crucial gateways and application terminals for the Internet of Things (IoT), are considered a core track leading the next generation of IoT innovation. But the progress of smart wearables is still constrained by the battery capacity and lifespan, driving an urgent demand for self-sustaining and maintenance-free power solutions. With advances in miniaturized portable electronics and progress on novel enabling technologies, power consumption has downgraded from the scale of milliwatts (mW) to microwatts (μW). Since the human body can release sensible heat up to 4.8 W, a thermoelectric device just with a conversion efficiency of 1% thereby have the potential to power various portable electronics, making thermoelectrics promising as next-generation power sources. The low-grade heat sources in the wearable scenarios pose new requirements for the flexibility and wearability of thermoelectric materials and devices. However, wearability/flexibility characteristics count against materials performance, device output and thermal match at system, which results in a far lower conversion efficiency of flexible thermoelectric devices than that of traditional rigid bulk devices. Aiming to advance the application of thermoelectrics in smart wearables, we proposed an integration strategy of transferring the series-parallel structure of TE devices into fabric weave parameters to solve wearable challenges. And we have constructed a series of wearable thermoelectric devices. Furthermore, structural optimization and thermal design were carried out to enhanced the output performance of these TE devices, aiming to address the challenges of energy technology revolution in smart wearables.

Biography: Tingting Sun is a Young Researcher of the College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University. She obtained her PhD degree from Donghua University in 2023. Her research interests are wearable thermoelectric materials and devices, including thermoelectric fibers and textiles, flexible thermoelectric film, ionic thermoelectrics, and smart devices. As first author or corresponding author, she has contributed approximately 20 SCI-indexed publications to journals including Nature Communications, Materials Today, and Advanced Science, including one work that has accrued 333 citations to date.

Assoc. Prof. Bin Zhang
Kanagawa University, Japan

Speech Title: Developments and Challenges of Guide Dog Robots

Abstract: Nowadays, resources for helping people with disabilities are far from enough so that visual or hearing-impaired people need to wait for years after applying for guide dogs, and users need to learn to adapt to operate modern equipment. To improve the quality of life (QoL) of people with disabilities, we developed guide dog robots to help visual or hearing-impaired people adapt to normal daily life. Specifically, by providing considerate functions like visualization of sound environment or active conversation, the social acceptance of guide dog robots can be improved and human-robot coexistence in daily life can be expected soon. In this speech, developments and challenges of guide dog robots for people with disabilities are introduced, including guide dog robots for visually or hearing-impaired people, etc.

Biography: Bin Zhang received his B. Eng. Degree in department of Automation from Harbin Engineering University, China, in 2011, and Ph.D. (Eng.) degree in department of Mechanical Intelligent Engineering from The University of Electro-Communications, Japan, in 2017. Then he worked at Nissan Motors Co., Ltd for developing Infiniti series. Since 2018, he joined Kanagawa University as an assistant professor, and he is currently an associate professor and PI of Intelligent Machine Lab at the department of Mechanical Engineering, Kanagawa University. His current research interests include intelligent robotics, human interaction and autonomous vehicles. Dr. Bin Zhang is a member of IEEE, IEEJ and JSME. He has published more than 160 papers in referred journal publications and conference proceedings. He was awarded the best paper/best presentation awards for ICSR2016, ICDSP2022, EAI 6GN2023, RCAE2025 etc.

 

Dr. Yasunori Sakai (JSPS Research Fellow)
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China

Speech Title: Dynamic Behavior Control through Anisotropic Design and Mechanical Metamaterials: Applications in Manufacturing and Structural Dynamics

Abstract: Anisotropic materials provide opportunities for directional tuning of mechanical properties, enabling effective vibration control in complex, multifunctional systems. Mechanical metamaterials, with their exceptional properties derived from microstructural design, offer novel approaches to vibration control, shock absorption, and energy dissipation. In this presentation, recent advances in the design, analysis, and application of these materials and structures will be reviewed. This will be illustrated through specific case studies from the authors' research group, including (1) Non-rotational hole machining tools utilizing vibration mode control, (2) Structure-embedded passive dampers, (3) Origami-structured shape memory polymer-based soft grippers for adaptive grasping, and (4) Soft actuators composed of shape memory alloy and piezoelectric polymer composites. Furthermore, challenges and future opportunities in developing dynamics control method based on these innovative materials and structures in manufacturing and actuators will be discussed, highlighting their potential for application in next-generation fields such as precision machining, robotics, aerospace, and biomedical engineering.

Biography: Dr. Yasunori Sakai is an Assistant Professor at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Control Systems Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology and is a registered Professional Engineer in Japan. His research focuses on intelligent manufacturing systems, functional 4D printed transducers, tribodynamics, and AI/CPS-driven production optimization. He was a JSPS Research Fellow, has worked in universities in China, Canada and Japan, and has led several competitive grants and projects. He has published numerous papers, received awards such as the JSME Young Researcher Award and Best Paper Award from MAZAK Foundation, and holds patents in production technology and vibration control.