Quan Zhou

Quan Zhou received the M.Sc. degree in Control Engineering and the Dr.Tech. degree in Automation Technology, both from Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland. He is currently a Professor leading the Robotic Instruments Group in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, School of Electrical Engineering, at Aalto University, Finland. His research focuses on miniaturized robotics, with particular emphasis on robotic manipulation of small-scale objects using diverse physical interaction methods, including contact, acoustic and magnetic fields, interfacial forces, and fluidic flows. This interdisciplinary research integrates physics, mechatronics, automation, and machine learning to address challenges in dexterous and noncontact manipulation. The work spans fundamental methodologies and practical applications in biomedicine, materials science, and industrial technologies.

Prof. Zhou is the Director of the Master’s Programme in Automation and Electrical Engineering (AEE) at Aalto University and serves as the local coordinator of the EIT Digital Master's Programme in Autonomous Systems. He is also the Coordinator of the Topic Group on Miniaturized Robotics within the European Robotics Association (euRobotics). He led the EU FP7 project FAB2ASM, served as General Chair of the International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS) 2019, and chaired the IEEE Finland Joint Chapter of the Control Systems Society, Robotics and Automation Society, and Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society. Prof. Zhou was also awarded the 2018 Anton Paar Research Award for Instrumental Analytics and Characterization.

Selected publications:

1. Haeri, S., Kopitca, A., Kandemir, H. and Zhou, Q., "Meter‐Scale Distance Manipulation of Diverse Objects with Jet‐Induced Airflow Field", Advanced Intelligent Systems, p.2400174, 2024.
2. Bettahar, H., Blanco-Mulero, D., Kyrki, V., Linder, M.B. and Zhou, Q., "Rapid Improvement of Fiber Tensile Properties via In Situ Biomimetic Robotic Pulling and Bayesian Optimization", Advanced Intelligent Systems, 6(4), p.2300610, 2024.
3. Vieira, A., Cui, W., Jokinen, V., Ras, R.H. and Zhou, Q.,  "Through-drop imaging of moving contact lines and contact areas on opaque water-repellent surfaces", Soft Matter, 19(13), pp.2350-2359, 2023.
4. Harischandra, P.D., Välisalmi, T., Cenev, Z.M., Linder, M.B. and Zhou, Q., "Shaping Liquid Droplets on an Active Air–Ferrofluid Interface", Langmuir, 39(22), pp.7623-7631, 2023.
5. Kopitca A., Latifi K., Zhou, Q., "Programmable assembly of particles on a Chladni plate", Science Advances, 7(39). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abi7716, 2021.
6. Hokkanen M.J., Backholm M., Vuckovac, M., Zhou, Q., Ras R.H.A., “Force-based wetting characterization of stochastic superhydrophobic coatings at nanonewton sensitivity”, Advanced Materials, 2105130, 2021.
7. Cenev, Z.; Harischandra, P. A. D.; Nurmi, S.; Latikka, M.; Hyninen, V.; Ras, R.A.; Timonen, J.V.I.; Zhou, Q., "Ferrofluidic Manipulator Automatic Manipulation of Non-magnetic Microparticles at Air-Ferrofluid Interface", IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, doi: 10.1109/TMECH.2021.3081114, 2021. 
8. Cenev, Z., Würger, A. and Zhou, Q., “Motion and Trapping of Micro-and Millimeter Spheroid Particles on the Air-Paramagnetic Liquid Interface”, Physical Review E, 103, L010601, 2021.
9. Wang, D., Sun, Q., Hokkanen, M.J., Zhang, C., Lin, F.Y., Liu, Q., Zhu, S.P., Zhou, T., Chang, Q., He, B. Zhou, Q., Chen., L, Ras, R., Deng, X., “Design of robust superhydrophobic surfaces", Nature, 582(7810), pp.55-59, 2020.
10. Seon, J.A., Cenev, Z., and Zhou, Q., “Automatic Noncontact Extraction and Independent Manipulation of Magnetic Particles Using Electromagnetic Needle”, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 25 (2), 931-941, 2020.
11. Latifi, K., Wijaya, H, and Zhou, Q., “Motion of heavy particles on a submerged Chladni plate”, Physical Review Letters, 122(18), p.184301, 2019.
12. Dong, Z., Schumann, M.F., Hokkanen, M.J., Chang, B., Welle, A., Zhou, Q., Ras, R.A.H., Xu, Z., Wegener, M., and Levkin, P.A., “Superoleophobic Slippery Lubricant-Infused Surface: Combining Two Extremes in the Same Surface”, Advanced Materials, 1803890, 2018.
13. Cenev, Z., Zhang, H., Sariola, V., Rahikkala, A., Liu, D., Santos, H.A., and Zhou, Q., “Manipulating Superparamagnetic Microparticles with an Electromagnetic Needle”, Advanced Materials Technologies, 3 (1), 1700177, 2018
14. Liimatainen, V., Vuckovac, M., Jokinen, V., Sariola, V., Hokkanen, M., Zhou, Q., Ras, R.H.A., “Mapping microscale wetting variations on biological and synthetic water repellent surfaces”, Nature Communications, 8, 1798, 2017.
15. Mastrangeli, M., Zhou, Q., Sariola, V., Lambert, P., “Surface tension-driven self-alignment”, Soft Matter, 13 (2), 304-327, 2017.
16. Zhou, Q., Sariola, V., Latifi, K., Liimatainen, V., “Controlling the motion of multiple objects on a Chladni plate”, Nature Communications, 7, 12764, 2016.
17. Liimatainen, V., Shah. A., Johansson, L., Houbenov, N. and Zhou, Q., “Maskless, high-precision, persistent and extreme wetting-contrast patterning in an environmental scanning electron microscope”, Small, vol. 12 (14), pp. 1847-1853, 2016.
18. Liimatainen, V., Sariola, V., Zhou, Q., "Controlling liquid spreading using microfabricated undercut edges", Advanced Materials, Vol. 25(16), pp. 2275–2278 (frontispiece on page 2274), 2013.
19. Chang, B., Sariola, V., Aura, S., Ras, R.H.A., Klonner, M., Lipsanen, H., and Zhou, Q., “Capillary-driven self-assembly of microchips on oleophilic/oleophobic patterned surface using adhesive droplet in ambient air”, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 99, 034104, 2011.
20. Sariola, V., Jääskeläinen, M., and Zhou, Q., “Hybrid microassembly combining robotics and water droplet self-alignment”, IEEE Transaction on Robotics, Vol. 26, Issue 6, pp. 965 - 97, 2010.