Robo-Matter towards reconfigurable multifunctional smart materials

Jing Wang, Gao Wang, Huaicheng Chen, Yanping Liu, Peilong Wang, Daming Yuan, Xingyu Ma, Xiangyu Xu, Zhengdong Cheng, Baohua Ji, Mingcheng Yang, Jianwei Shuai, Fangfu Ye, Jin Wang, Yang Jiao () and Liyu Liu ()
Additional contact information
Jing Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Gao Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huaicheng Chen: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yanping Liu: Chongqing University
Peilong Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Daming Yuan: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xingyu Ma: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiangyu Xu: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhengdong Cheng: Zhejiang University
Baohua Ji: Zhejiang University
Mingcheng Yang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jianwei Shuai: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fangfu Ye: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jin Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yang Jiao: Arizona State University
Liyu Liu: Chongqing University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Maximizing materials utilization efficiency via enhancing their reconfigurability and multifunctionality offers a promising avenue in addressing the global challenges in sustainability. To this end, significant efforts have been made in developing reconfigurable multifunctional smart materials, which can exhibit remarkable behaviors such as morphing and self-healing. However, the difficulty in efficiently manipulating and controlling matter at the building block level with manageable cost and complexity, which is crucial to achieving superior responsiveness to environmental clues and stimuli, has significantly hindered the further development of such smart materials. Here we introduce a concept of Robo-Matter, which can be activated and controlled through external information exchange at the building block level, to enable a high-level of controllability, mutability and versatility for reconfigurable multifunctional smart materials. Using specially designed micro-robot building blocks with symmetry-breaking active motion modes, tunable anisotropic interactions, and interactive coupling with a programmable spatial-temporal dynamic light field, we demonstrate an emergent Robot-Matter duality, which enables a spectrum of desirable behaviors spanning from matter-like properties such as ultra-fast self-assembly and adaptivity, to robot-like properties including active force output, smart healing, smart morphing and infiltration. Our work demonstrates a promising direction for designing next-generation smart materials and large-scale robotic swarms.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53123-6

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