LIGHT-INDUCED MECHANICAL DEFORMATION OF SOFT MATTER TO PHYSICALLY TRANSMIT CHEMICAL SIGNALS ACROSS SPACE

Intelligent materials are emerging as key components in next-generation technologies due to their ability to sense, respond, and adapt to external stimuli, mimicking biological systems. Among these, intelligent systems based on soft matter operate far from thermodynamic equilibrium, offering a platform for dynamic reconfiguration and life-like functionality. Notably, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) exhibit programmable, reversible shape changes in response to stimuli like heat or light, enabling actuation. Complementarily, hydrogels provide information transfer, signal processing, and memory-like behavior, making them suitable for bioinspired sensing and adaptive feedback. Together, these materials lay the groundwork for the development of complex, responsive systems with embedded intelligence.