A Queen Mary collaboration with the University of Bristol has led to two new publications in Advanced Materials and Advanced Functional.

The work has been featured on the latest front cover of Advanced Materials, showcasing a shape-morphing soft matter capable of performing an unprecedented range of deformations, including rotation, translation, stretching, spreading, bending, and twisting, all integrated within a single system. These shape-shifting behaviours are wirelessly controlled through electrostatic actuation, using lightweight electrode architectures.

In parallel, the latest paper in Advanced Functional Materials has been published online, introducing direct charge injection with substantial shape changing in morphing gels. This new approach allows us to mimic biologically inspired, muscle-driven movements found in nature, such as cilia-like beating and chromophore-like expansion, paving the way for next-generation soft robotic and adaptive material systems.