Caroline Yan Zheng

Caroline Yan Zheng is a Digital Futures Postdoctoral Fellow at the Royal College of Art, developing design guidelines for recognisable digital social touch using soft robotic haptic technologies. Her research enables emotionally rich human-technology interactions through sensorially precise touch communication in healthcare and telepresence applications.

Academic background:

• PhD, Royal College of Art, UK

Research focuses on soft robotics for social touch, integrating neuroscience of comforting touch (CT-optimal) with material science to address gaps in technical design paradigms. She investigates how experiential factors (texture, appearance) and contextual elements (timing, cultural background) shape perception of digital social touch, creating frameworks for socially recognisable haptic stimuli.

Scientific recognition:

• Digital Futures Postdoctoral Fellowship
• MedTech SuperConnector awardee

Secured Cancer Research UK funding as co-investigator for the SOFTLI project (2019-2021) improving cancer care through soft robotics. Active community builder initiating international workshops on affective HRI and guest editing special issues for the Journal of Transactions in Human-Robot Interaction.