Bio-MEMS devices are applicable for diagnosis, prosthesis, drug delivery, and many other bio-related applications. Development of bio-MEMS devices require a range of materials that include inorganic materials such as metals, ceramics, glasses, and organic materials like natural and synthetic polymers. One of the widely used polymers is hydrogel, some of which has photo- and thermoresponsive property. This paper shows the swelling properties of gold nanoshell reinforced positive hydrogel under various parametric conditions. The simulation results have been presented in this work to show the spatial and temporal aspect of swelling of the light-sensitive positive hydrogel under various parametric conditions of gold nanoshells. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.