This research develops programmable active materials that function like soft robots without electronics or external control systems. Using 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomers, the work engineers materials that sense temperature and autonomously deform, fold, and locomote, demonstrating how microscopic material structure can be programmed to produce complex robotic behavior.

This research investigates how microscopic structural defects affect the performance of rubber materials. By creating nearly defect-free polymer networks and introducing controlled flaws individually, the work isolates how each defect changes material behavior. The findings could improve the design of stronger, safer, and more reliable rubber products used across industry and medicine.