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About

Yuki Hagiwara is a leading researcher in the emerging field of photomechanical organic crystals, specializing in light-driven actuation and soft robotics. Her work focuses on developing mechanically responsive molecular crystals that exhibit macroscopic motions—such as bending, twisting, and high-speed oscillation—when exposed to light and heat. Hagiwara’s major contributions include pioneering the use of photothermal effects to induce natural vibration in crystals, enabling versatile and rapid actuation without relying solely on traditional photochemical reactions like photoisomerization. Her 2023 paper on photothermally induced natural vibration (29 citations) introduced a new paradigm for high-speed crystal actuation, while her 2021 study on mechanically responsive organic crystals (41 citations) laid foundational insights into light-driven motion. Her 2024 works on broad-wavelength light-fueled crystal oscillators (10 citations) and actuation performance (16 citations) further demonstrate the versatility of her approach, using anthraquinone dye crystals to achieve multimodal, resonating vibrations. With over 100 total citations, Hagiwara’s research is shaping the future of light-fueled actuators and soft robots, offering a scalable, high-performance alternative to conventional photochemical systems.