The recipients of the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) were announced on April 11th, 2011. Associate Professor Taro Nakamura in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University (Department of Precision Mechanics) was awarded the Young Scientists' Prize. The prize is given to researchers under 41 years old who possess high-level research and development ability. The purpose of the prize is to recognize the success of researchers who have had outstanding success in R&D and promoting understanding in relation to scientific technology. Through such recognition the prize seeks to increase motivation in researchers working with scientific technology and to thereby contribute to improving the level of scientific technology in Japan. The prize was awarded to 82 individuals this year.

Nakamura received the prize for his research on a movement mechanism using the peristaltic crawling of the earthworm, as well as application of that mechanism.

Nakamura conducts research on robots which use the movement of living organisms such as water striders and snails. Since early on in his research, Nakamura has focused on the movement pattern of earthworms. Earthworms move through the ground in a unique manner known as peristaltic crawling. During this unique movement, the earthworm becomes fatter and thinner. Unlike the movement of snakes or inchworms, peristaltic crawling does not require room either vertical or horizontal, making it ideal for efficient movement in extremely narrow spaces. Nakamura has applied this movement to the development of robots. His robots are expected to perform in a wide variety of uses. For example, he has developed a robot to inspect narrow pipelines such as drainpipes, an auxiliary instrument for inserting an endoscope in the patient's stomach, and an exploratory robot that burrows through lunar and planetary surfaces.

The following is a comment by Associate Professor Nakamura:
"I am very happy to receive the Young Scientists' Prize which is part of the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. It is rare for a researcher at a private university to receive this prize. I was fortunate to receive the prize thanks mainly to the support of my family, the active research activities of laboratory members, and the guidance of other professors. I believe that Japan's robot and mechatronics technology must continue to lead the world in the future. Personally, I shall continue to work my hardest so that my research results can contribute to the good of the world. I will not be satisfied by past success and shall seek even greater heights, pushing farther ahead with my research activities."

Details of Taro Nakamura's research are available on Chuo Online "Development of High Power Artificial Muscle and Application to Robot." Also, video of each robot can be viewed on the website of the Nakamura Laboratory.

• Link: Regarding the selection of awardees for the 2011 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
• Link: Chuo Online"Development of High Power Artificial Muscle and Application to Robot"
• Link: Bio-Mechatronics, Nakamura Laboratory
• Link: Research Seeds of Taro Nakamura (Collection of Research Seeds 2011)