The world around us, both natural and
man-made, is filled with structures that respond to external stimuli and
adapt their internal structures to perform specific functions. For
example, plants have the ability to sense changes in their environment,
such as changes in gravity or light, and modify their shape accordingly
to survive. During development, neurons respond to their surroundings by
growing and connecting different parts of the brain. Additionally, the
arms of octopuses and trunks of elephants are stunning examples of the
versatility and beauty of responsive structures that inspire the
development of soft robotics. In the field of engineering, liquid
crystal elastomers can be designed to respond to light or heat, offering
exciting opportunities for new devices and actuators.
In this talk, I will delve into the theory of material activation, with a
focus on slender structures such as active filaments. I will propose
a unified mathematical framework to model how multiple stimuli can be
combined at the microscopic level to produce changes at the macroscopic
level. This framework will allow us to uncover general principles for
microstructure organization and activation. Furthermore, the feedback
loop created by shape-shifting in response to external sources can
produce complex dynamics similar to natural behaviors, providing elegant
solutions to functional problems.
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