Yumiko Naka

Papers

Total Citations

379

H-Index

About

Yumiko Naka is a pioneering materials scientist whose work lies at the intersection of photochemistry, polymer science, and soft robotics. Her most celebrated contribution is the development of photomobile polymer materials—crosslinked azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymers that undergo reversible, three-dimensional shape changes when exposed to light. In her landmark 2008 paper, which has garnered 379 citations, Naka demonstrated that laminating these photoactive polymers with flexible films could produce simple devices capable of inchworm-like walking and robotic-arm motions, all powered solely by light. This breakthrough opened a new paradigm in actuator design, eliminating the need for wires, batteries, or motors. Naka’s research has profoundly influenced fields from micro-machines to biomedical devices, offering a blueprint for lightweight, remotely controlled soft robots. Her work is widely recognized for its elegance and practical potential, and she continues to be a leading voice in photomechanical materials, inspiring a generation of researchers to harness light for programmable motion.