Huachen Cui Research Group
The RObot and MEdical Device
3D Printing Laboratory
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About ROME3D
ROME3D is a research group led by Prof. Huachen Cui in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). We primarily focus on three aspects, including the development of advanced additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, the design and manufacturing of robots as well as the design and manufacturing of medical devices. We also investigate the design and AM of micro-architectures and metamaterials, the development of multi-functional materials as well as advanced packaging techniques.
Advanced AM Techniques
We are creating novel additive manufacturing techniques & synthesizing materials to fabricaite robots, medical devices and metamaterials.
Robotics
We are designing and fabricaiting macro- and micro-scale robotic systems via AM techniques or hybrid manufacturing techniques.
Medical Devices
We are developing extracoporeal & implantable medial devices via additive manufacturing and hybrid manufacturing techniques.
We are born to create
Publications
9
Prestigious journal
(Science, Nature, etc.)
32
Journal articles in total
17
Patent
17
Conference papers and presentations
Selected Journal & Conference Articles
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Mingpei Cang, Haidong Wu, Hanzhang Zhi, Anchenyi Yang, Leihan Zhang, Jikai Liu, Hao Li, Ying Zhou, Shanghua Wu, Huachen Cui (corresponding author), “Achieving sub-pixel level feature size and continuous printing for projection stereolithography through spatiotemporal control of photopolymerization”, International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 2027 (online first)
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Annan Chen, Ke Li, Yinjin Li, Che Fan, Zhiyao Zhang, Yuanchao Liu, Jin Su, Yunsong Shi, Huachen Cui, Kai Liu, Yusheng Shi, Zhen Zhang, Chunze Yan, Jia Lu, “Occlusion-activated autonomous piezoelectric implants for adaptive prevention of peri-implantitis”, Nature Communications, 2026
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Wenge Huang, Mohammad Shamsodini Lori, Anchenyi Yang, Kai Zhuang, Yuanhao Cheng, Mojun Chen, Chao Sun, Tingzhen Ming, Huachen Cui (corresponding author), Jiangtao Cheng, “Bubble-burst-induced Puddle Jumping and Jet Printing”, Nature Communications, 2026
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Hanzhang Zhi, Yingjun Zeng, Huachen Cui (corresponding author), “Digital incoherent synthesis of holographic light fields boosted volumetric printing speed and resolution”, International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 2026
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Leihan Zhang, Yijie Bian, Wanzhen Wei, Zhongyuan Liao, Mingpei Cang, Anchenyi Yang, Hanzhang Zhi, Wenrui Zhang, Mojun Chen, Huachen Cui (corresponding author), Yi Cai, “Dendrite‐Inspired and 3D Printed Multidirectional Sensing Piezoresistive Metamaterials”, Advanced Functional Materials, 2025
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Haotian Lu, Huachen Cui (contributed equally), Gengxi Lu, Laiming Jiang, Ryan Hensleigh, Yushun Zeng, Adnan Rayes, Mohanchandra K. Panduranga, Megha Acharya, Zhen Wang, Andrei Irimia, Fei Wu, Gregory P. Carman, Jose M. Morales, Seth Putterman, Laura W. Martin, Qifa Zhou, Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng, “3D Printing and processing of miniaturized transducers with near-pristine piezoelectric ceramics for localized cavitation”, Nature Communications, 2023
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Huachen Cui, Desheng Yao, Ryan Hensleigh, Haotian Lu, Ariel Calderon, Zhenpeng Xu, Sheyda Davaria, Zhen Wang, Patrick Mercier, Pablo Tarazaga, Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng, “Design and printing of proprioceptive three-dimensional architected robotic metamaterials”, Science, 2022 (Featured and reported by Los Angeles Times, Yahoo! News, Science Daily, EurekAlert!, etc)
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Angkur Jyoti Dipanka Shaikeea, Huachen Cui (contributed equally), Mark O’Masta, Xiaoyu Rayne Zheng, Vikram Sudhir Deshpande, “The toughness of mechanical metamaterials”, Nature Materials, 2022
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Chengwei Wang, Weiwei Ping, Qiang Bai, Huachen Cui, Ryan Hensleigh (contributed equally), Ruiliu Wang, Alexandra H. Brozena, Zhenpeng Xu, Jiaqi Dai, Yong Pei, Chaolun Zheng, Glenn Pastel, Jinlong Gao, Xue Wang, Hong Wang, Jianguo Zhao, Bao Yang, Xiaoyu (Rayne) Zheng, Jian Luo, Yifei Mo, Bruce Dunn, Liangbing Hu, “A general method to synthesize and sinter bulk ceramics in seconds”, Science, 2020
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Ryan Hensleigh, Huachen Cui (contributed equally), Zhenpeng Xu, Jeffrey Massman, Desheng Yao, John Berrigan, Xiaoyu Zheng, “Charge-programmed three-dimensional printing for multi-material electronic devices”, Nature Electronics, 2020
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Huachen Cui, Ryan Hensleigh, Desheng Yao, Deepam Maurya, Prashant Kumar, Min Gyu Kang, Shashank Priya, Xiaoyu Zheng, “Three-dimensional printing of piezoelectric materials with designed anisotropy and directional response”, Nature Materials, 2019 (Featured on VT news, reported by Phys.org, Science Daily, Nanowerk, Materials Today, 3Dprint.com etc)
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Xiaoyu Zheng, William Smith, Julie Jackson, Bryan Moran, Huachen Cui, Da Chen, Jianchao Ye, Nicholas Fang, Nicholas Rodriguez, Todd Weisgraber, Christopher M. Spadaccini, “Multiscale metallic metamaterials”, Nature Materials, 2016 (Featured on front cover, VT News, reported by Phys.org, Science Daily, Nanowerk, Materials Today, 3Dprint.com etc)
Selected Patent
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H. Cui, Z. Han, "Automatic Assembly Equipment for Button Batteries (一种纽扣电池自动组装设备)", 202511093878.9, Aug. 06, 2025
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H. Cui, M. Cang, "Photocuring 3D Printer for Processing Magnetic Resin (一种用于加工磁性树脂的光固化3D打印机)", 202411990077.8, Dec. 31, 2024
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X. Zheng, H. Cui, R. Hensleigh, "Three-dimensional piezoelectric materials and uses thereof", US2021234089A1, Jul 29, 2021
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H. Cui, M. Cang, "High-Precision Vat Photopolymerization 3D Printing Method and System for Suppressing Proximity Effects (一种抑制邻近效应的高精度光固化3D打印方法及系统)", 202610748442.7, May 28, 2026
News & Events
Lab News
Pengxiao Bao, Haoran Qi and Xinyu Chen joined our group.
Sep. 2026
Lab News
We gave a talk titled "Vat-Photopolymerization-Based In-Situ Integration of Nano-Scale Optical Fibers into Glass Micro-Optical Elements" at the 10th Young Scientist Forum on Additive Manufacturing.
Apr. 2026
Lab News
We gave a talk titled "Additive Manufacturing of Multi-functional Metamaterials" at the HKUST–HKUST(GZ) Cross-campus Collaborative Research Scheme Workshop.
Jun. 2026
Lab News
We gave a talk titled "A High-Throughput Automated Perovskite Fabrication and Characterization System for AI Big Data" at the 1st China "AI + New Materials" Conference.
Apr. 2026
Lab News
We gave a talk titled "Additive Manufacturing of Magnetic Metasurfaces for Microfluidic Transport" at the 5th National Conference on Metamaterials.
May. 2026
Lab News
Jiahui Long joined our group.
Feb. 2026
"行非常之事，成非常之功"
Huachen Cui, Ph.D.
Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor at HKUST (Guangzhou)
Affiliated Assistant Professor at HKUST (Clear Water Bay)
Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, 2020
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, 2016
Email: hccui [at] hkust-gz.edu.cn
Team
Creation. Passion. Profession
Our team consists of talents with diverse backgrounds, including mechanics, chemistry, control, materials science, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. We work on interdisciplinary projects closely.
Postdoctoral Researcher:
Dr. Leihan Zhang
PhD Student:
Anchenyi Yang, ayang546[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Hanzhang Zhi, zhihz9919[at]mails.jlu.edu.cn
Lujiang Liu, lliu128[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Zhanpeng Li, zli223[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Lingchuan Tan, ltan688[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Kai Chen, kchen787[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Yingjun Zeng, yzeng169[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Zirui Huang, zhuang285[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Yiyu Zhan, yzhan334[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Xinyu Chen, xchen217[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Haoran Qi, hqiab[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Visiting PhD student:
Yuntai Xi, yxi883[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn; Chuhang Gao, chuhanggao[at]hkust-gz.edu.cn
MSc student/ Research Assistant:
Jiahui Long, jlong403[at]connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Research Assistant:
Pengxiao Bao, pbao380@connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
Alumni:
Dr. Mingpei Cang, Zhiyuan Han, Wenxuan Zhang
Projects
1 / High-resolution large-area projection micro-stereolithography system
We are developing a high-resolution large-area projection micro-stereolithography system and will achieve a resolution up to 2 micron while keeping the printing area larger than 10mm.
2 / Multi-material projection micro-stereolithography system
We are developing a multi-material projection micro-stereolithography system to fabricte multi-functional metamaterials and achieve the one-step fabricaiton of logic circuits.
3 / Underwater robot
We are developing an underwater robot without propeller.
4 / Micro-architected high-temperature ceramics
We are designing and fabricating high-temperature ceramics with rationally designed micro-architectures and mechanical properties. The spring works up to 1000℃ without signaficant change on performances.
5 / In-situ monitoring of projection stereolithography systems
We are developing a new low-cost technique to achieve in-situ monitoring of the printing quality in projection stereolithography systems.
6 / Additive manufactured artificial cilia
We are designing and fabricating an artificial cilia system for small item transmissions.
Recruitment
We are currently recruiting Ph.D. students from mechanical engineering, chemicstry, mechanics, control, manufacturing and so on. Please send your CV and transcripts to the email below if you are interested.