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About

Yasuo Norikane is a materials scientist whose research sits at the fascinating intersection of photoresponsive materials, molecular machines, and biomimetic engineering. He is best known for his pioneering work on light-driven motion in crystalline materials, most strikingly demonstrated in his 2015 study on light-induced crawling of crystals on glass surfaces — a landmark contribution that has garnered over 266 citations and challenged conventional boundaries between living and artificial locomotion systems. By harnessing azobenzene-based molecular switches, Norikane has shown that macroscopic, directional, and continuous self-propelled movement can be engineered into solid-state materials without complex machinery or external mechanical input. His more recent work expands this vision in exciting directions. He has developed layered polymer systems capable of rapid, light-triggered shape changes that mimic the adhesion and detachment mechanics of gecko toe pads, and has demonstrated single-crystal azobenzene systems exhibiting abrupt, reversible stretching of over 8% through thermal phase transitions — a notable advance for durable microrobotic actuators. Collectively, Norikane's contributions are shaping a new generation of smart materials that bridge molecular chemistry and functional, life-inspired motion.