Friday 12 March 2021

Controlled by light alone, new smart materials twist, bend and move

Researchers at Tufts University School of Engineering have created light-activated composite devices able to execute precise, visible movements and form complex three-dimensional shapes without the need for wires or other actuating materials or energy sources. The design combines programmable photonic crystals with an elastomeric composite that can be engineered at the macro and nano scale to respond to illumination.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-smart-materials.html