Stimuli-responsive polymers which respond to a stimulus by changing their functional properties are one of the focal points in materials science. The self-assembly of liquid crystals has proven to be an extremely useful tool in the development of such functional soft materials. Liquid crystalline polymer materials are appealing since microscopic changes in the molecular order and orientation can lead to macroscopic changes in shape and optical properties. In my lecture, stimuli responsive polymers will be discussed that can be applied as soft actuators, robots, color changing materials and sensors.