Chapter 18: Intelligent Gels: Soft and Wet Nanomachine of the Next Era

We have developed water-swollen hydrogels with excellent mechanical performances and extremely low frictional properties. These gels exhibited motility under electrical stimulus capable of functioning as the artificial muscles. Novel functional gels including electro-conductive functions and tunable photonic crystal have also developed. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven biomachines made of protein gels will also be introduced.