Shilin Shan
Shilin Shan is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the MARS Lab, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), working with Prof. Jianfei Yang. His research focuses on force- and tactile-aware robot learning, multimodal VLA models, and generalizable manipulation for embodied AI.
Shilin Shan obtained his Ph.D. degree at NTU, specializing in robotic manipulation, dynamics modeling, and physical human-robot interaction with a focus on deep learning. He was supervised by Prof. Quang-Cuong Pham and Prof. Domenico Campolo.
Shilin earned his Bachelor’s degree from Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2021 with Highest Distinction.
News
∙ [2026-04] Joined MARS Lab, NTU as a postdoc research fellow
∙ [2026-01] One paper accepted to ICRA 2026
∙ [2025-03] One paper accepted to IROS 2025
∙ [2024-09] One paper accepted to RA-L
∙ [2024-01] One paper accepted to ICRA 2024
∙ [2023-12] One paper accepted to RA-L
∙ [2021-08] Start Ph.D. in School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in NTU
Education
Nanyang Technological University
Aug 2021 - Feb 2026
Ph.D. student at School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Nanyang Technological University
Aug 2017 - May 2021
B.E. in Mechanical Engineering (Mechatronincs and Robotics)
CGPA: 4.82 / 5.00
Publications
*: equal contribution (co-first authors)
‡: project lead
†: corresponding author
Learning Physical Interaction: A Survey of Tactile- and Force-aware Robot Learning
Shilin Shan*,‡, Chuhao Zhou*, Ruize Wang*, Xinyan Chen*, Xiangyu Chen*, Xinyu Zhou*, Boyu Ma*, Iris Yuxuan Hu, Jingliang Li, Celeste Yuxuan Hu, Geng Li, Guohao Chen, Tianrui Zhu, Zhe Li, Yanjie Ze, Haoran Geng, Zhiyang Dou, Jianxin Bi, Yuejiang Liu, Jianshu Zhou, Jiachen Li, Paul Liang, Tatsuya Harada, Robert Katzschmann, Harold Soh, Na Li, Edward Johns, Danica Kragic, Jan Peters, Wojciech Matusik, Masayoshi Tomizuka, Jitendra Malik, Jianfei Yang†
arXiv preprint, 2026 Paper
Fast Payload Calibration for Sensorless Contact Estimation Using Model Pre-training
Shilin Shan†, Quang-Cuong Pham
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), 2024 Paper | Video
Sensorless Estimation of Contact Using Deep-Learning for Human-robot Interaction
Shilin Shan†, Quang-Cuong Pham
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2024 Paper | Video
Fine Robotic Manipulation without Force/Torque Sensor
Shilin Shan†, Quang-Cuong Pham
IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), 2023 Paper | Video
Estimating Force Interactions of Deformable Linear Objects from their Shapes
Chen Qi Jing†, Shan Shilin , Timothy Bretl, Quang-Cuong Pham
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2026 Paper | Video
Robotic Manipulation of a Rotating Chain with Bottom End Fixed
Chen Qi Jing†, Shan Shilin , Quang-Cuong Pham
IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2025 Paper | Video
Awards
∙ [2021] NTU Ph.D. Research Scholarship
∙ [2019] NTU President Research Scholar
∙ [2018 & 2019] Dean’s List (School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
∙ [2017] NTU Science and Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship
Professional Service
Reviewer: RA-L, T-ASE, ICRA, IROS
Teaching
∙ Teaching Assistant: MA2012 Introduction to Mechatronics System Design, NTU, 2024 Spring
∙ Teaching Assistant: MA2071 Hands-on Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality, NTU, 2023 & 2024