About

Yonggang Huang is the Achenbach Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University. He is interested in mechanics of stretchable and flexible electronics, and deterministic 3D assembly. He has published 2 books and more than 700 journal papers, including 16 in Science and 10 in Nature. He is a Highly Cited Researcher in Engineering (2009), in Materials Science (since 2014), and in Physics (2018). He is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, US National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a foreign member of the Royal Society (London). His recognitions for undergraduate teaching include the Cole-Higgins Award for Excellence in Teaching at Northwestern University in 2016 and 2024. His significant professional service includes roles such as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Applied Mechanics, Co-Editor in Chief of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters, and President of the Society of Engineering Sciences. His research focuses on mechanics related to stretchable electronics, bioelectronics, and advanced assembly techniques, contributing extensively to the fields of materials science and engineering through innovative studies and leadership in the scientific community.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Materials science
• Biomedical engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Engineering
• Internal medicine
• Telecommunications
• Electrical engineering
• Surgery
• Biology
• Neuroscience
• Optoelectronics
• Computer Security
• Pathology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Mechanical engineering
• Gastroenterology
• Aerospace engineering
• Intensive care medicine
• Cardiology
• Control engineering
• Metallurgy
• Cell biology

Selected publications

• Hot‐Film and Calorimetric Methods With Transient Heating for Measurement of High Biofluid Flow Rate

  Advanced Functional Materials · 2026-05-20

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT Accurate measurement of biofluid flow rate is critical for clinical diagnostics and physiological monitoring, such as in cerebrospinal fluid shunt assessment and vascular blood flow evaluation. Thermal flow sensors, particularly hot‐film and calorimetric types, are widely used in biomedical settings due to their broad dynamic range and long‐term stability. However, their performance declines at high flow rates. To overcome this drawback, we propose a transient heating method that applies a short‐duration thermal pulse and tracks the peak temperature response. This method, validated by experiments using artificial blood and vessels, significantly improves sensitivity to the flow rate change at high flow rates and reduces energy consumption. There exists an optimal heating time to maximize sensitivity to the flow rate. A contour plot of flow rate sensitivity vs. the heating time and flow rate is obtained to guide the selection of optimal heating time for different flow conditions.

  PublisherDOI

• Battery-free, wireless soft sensors for continuous multi-site measurements of pressure and temperature from patients at risk for pressure injuries

  UNC Libraries · 2025-05-13

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Gain regulation of microchannel plate via atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 films

  2025-10-28

  article

  The electron multiplication efficiency of microchannel plates (MCPs) is fundamentally determined by their secondary electron emission characteristics. This study investigates the gain performance of MCPs modified with atomic layer deposited (ALD) aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) films—known for their high secondary electron yield. Systematic experiments were conducted with varying ALD cycle numbers (20, 50, 100, and 150) to deposit Al₂O₃ films on the inner microchannel surfaces. Results reveal a non-monotonic relationship between the gain and the deposition cycle, with the extreme gain observed at 50 cycles. Beyond this optimal point, further increases in cycle number (e.g., 100–150 cycles) led to a noticeable gain degradation. These findings establish a clear correlation between the ALD deposition cycle and the MCP electron gain, providing valuable insights for the surface refinement of electron multiplication devices. The proposed ALD modification strategy offers a promising approach for developing high-performance MCP.

  PublisherDOI

• An integrated microfluidic and fluorescence platform for probing in vivo neuropharmacology

  Neuron · 2025-04-10 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Accurate and Scalable Quantum Hydrodynamic Simulations of Plasmonic Nanostructures Within OFDFT

  Preprints.org · 2025-07-11 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Quantum hydrodynamic theory (QHT) provides a computationally efficient alternative to time-dependent density functional theory for simulating plasmonic nanostructures, but its predictive power depends critically on the choice of ground-state electron density and energy functional. We present OF-PGSLN, a scalable and accurate QHT framework that integrates orbital-free (OF) density functional theory with a Laplacian-level kinetic energy functional (PGSLN). We calibrate the model using density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory for sodium jellium nanospheres, determining optimal parameters to reproduce both ground-state density and localized surface plasmon resonances. Our results show that OF-PGSLN accurately captures the size-dependent localized surface plasmon energies and oscillator strengths with less computational cost. We further apply the method to sodium nanodimers and find that the commonly used linear superposition of single-sphere density becomes inaccurate at sub-nanometer gaps. In contrast, OF-PGSLN captures critical interaction-induced changes in electron density and optical response. This approach overcomes key limitations of existing QHT models by enabling accurate and stable simulations for arbitrary nanostructures beyond simple geometries. Overall, OF-PGSLN provides a scalable, accurate, and generalizable framework for quantum plasmonic simulations, offering a powerful tool for modeling complex nanostructures.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Author Correction: Battery-free, wireless soft sensors for continuous multi-site measurements of pressure and temperature from patients at risk for pressure injuries

  UNC Libraries · 2025-05-13

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Patterned wireless transcranial optogenetics generates artificial perception

  Nature Neuroscience · 2025-12-08 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Wireless, wearable elastography via mechano-acoustic wave sensing for ambulatory monitoring of tissue stiffness

  Science Advances · 2025-09-03 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Assessing the mechanical properties of soft tissues holds broad clinical relevance. Advances in flexible electronics offer possibilities for wearable monitoring of tissue stiffness. However, existing technologies often rely on tethered setups or require frequent calibration, restricting their use in ambulatory environments. This study introduces a mechano-acoustic wave sensing technology for automated, wireless elastography. The patch-form sensor maintains conformal contact with the skin, regardless of body motion or deformation. It provides continuous, depth-sensitive estimation of subcutaneous tissue stiffness through real-time surface wave dispersion analysis. Theoretical and experimental investigations on phantom materials and tissues spanning a wide range of Young's modulus (in kilopascals to megapascals) demonstrate the capability of the device to rapidly and robustly evaluate the stiffness at depths up to several centimeters. The device shows compatibility with various tissue models, with results consistent with in-parallel ultrasound elastography measurements. Deployment of the device during exercises confirms its viability for ambulatory monitoring, enabling continuous assessment of variation in tissue stiffness.

  PublisherDOI

• Biodegradable, three-dimensional colorimetric fliers for environmental monitoring

  UNC Libraries · 2025-11-20

  articleOpen access

  Recently reported winged microelectronic systems offer passive flight mechanisms as a dispersal strategy for purposes in environmental monitoring, population surveillance, pathogen tracking, and other applications. Initial studies indicate potential for technologies of this type, but advances in structural and responsive materials and in aerodynamically optimized geometries are necessary to improve the functionality and expand the modes of operation. Here, we introduce environmentally degradable materials as the basis of 3D fliers that allow remote, colorimetric assessments of multiple environmental parameters-pH, heavy metal concentrations, and ultraviolet exposure, along with humidity levels and temperature. Experimental and theoretical investigations of the aerodynamics of these systems reveal design considerations that include not only the geometries of the structures but also their mass distributions across a range of bioinspired designs. Preliminary field studies that rely on drones for deployment and for remote colorimetric analysis by machine learning interpretation of digital images illustrate scenarios for practical use.

  PublisherDOI

• Full freedom-of-motion actuators as advanced haptic interfaces

  Science · 2025-03-27 · 59 citations

  articleCorresponding

  The sense of touch conveys critical environmental information, facilitating object recognition, manipulation, and social interaction, and can be engineered through haptic actuators that stimulate cutaneous receptors. An unfulfilled challenge lies in haptic interface technologies that can engage all the various mechanoreceptors in a programmable, spatiotemporal fashion across large areas of the body. Here, we introduce a small-scale actuator technology that can impart omnidirectional, superimposable, dynamic forces to the surface of skin, as the basis for stimulating individual classes of mechanoreceptors or selected combinations of them. High-bit haptic information transfer and realistic virtual tactile sensations are possible, as illustrated through human subject perception studies in extended reality applications that include advanced hand navigation, realistic texture reproduction, and sensory substitution for music perception.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Collaborative Research: Laser-driven Micro-Transfer Printing

  NSF · $100k · 2013–2016

• EAGER: USA-Singapore Collaborative Research and Education on Strain-engineered Conformable Electronics

  NSF · $180k · 2010–2012

• Fractal Mechanics of Stretchable Piezoelectrics for Mechanical Energy Harvesting

  NSF · $300k · 2014–2019

• Stretchable Optoelectronics and Applications in Hemispherical Electronic Eye Imagers

  NSF · $330k · 2008–2013

• NIH Grant R01EB019337

  NIH · $1.5M · 2019

Frequent coauthors

• John A. Rogers

  436 shared

• John A. Rogers

  Northwestern University

  343 shared

• Yihui Zhang

  Xi'an Jiaotong University

  150 shared

• Jizhou Song

  Zhejiang University

  148 shared

• Ao Wang

  Central South University

  126 shared

• Xue Feng

  90 shared

• Ha Uk Chung

  Sibel (United States)

  90 shared

• Zhaoqian Xie

  89 shared

Awards & honors

• Member, National Academy of Sciences
• Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Member, National Academy of Engineering
• Foreign Member, Academia Europaea
• Foreign Member, Chinese Academy of Sciences