Papers
16
Total Citations
360
H-Index
10
About
Yusuke Hara is a pioneering robotics and materials researcher whose work spans two transformative domains: paper-based mechatronics and chemically driven soft actuators. He is perhaps best known for founding the field of "paper mechatronics," which integrates printed electronics with origami and kirigami engineering principles to create affordable, lightweight, and rapidly fabricated robots. His landmark 2016 paper on self-folding origami robots, driven by electrothermal actuators created through printing, has garnered 122 citations and exemplifies his vision of fully printed robotic systems accessible to researchers and manufacturers alike. Earlier foundational work on biomorphic origami actuators using conducting paper (79 citations) further cemented his reputation as an innovator in flexible robotics. Equally significant is Hara's research into autonomous gel actuators powered by the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) chemical reaction, which converts chemical energy directly into mechanical motion without external power sources. His explorations of self-oscillating gels, meniscus-climbing gel robots, and novel semi-IPN gel formulations demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of chemo-mechanical systems. Collectively, his publications reflect a career dedicated to reimagining how robots are built and energized, pushing boundaries from the chemistry lab to the printing press.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2A biomorphic origami actuator fabricated by folding a conducting paper79 citations · 2008
- 3
- 4Self-Oscillating Gel Actuator for Chemical Robotics27 citations · 2008
- 5Design of paper mechatronics: Towards a fully printed robot16 citations · 2014
- 6A Meniscus-climbing Gel Robot14 citations · 2014
- 7Switching the BZ Reaction with a Strong-Acid-Free Gel12 citations · 2013
- 8
- 9Design of Autonomous Gel Actuators11 citations · 2011
- 10A Chemo-Mechanical Rotational Actuator Driven by BZ Reaction10 citations · 2006