Programmable matter is a substance that has the ability to change its physical properties—such as shape, density, moduli, conductivity, or optical characteristics—in a controllable fashion based on user input or autonomous sensing. This concept effectively embeds information processing into the material itself, bridging the gap between computer science and materials engineering.

Mechanisms and Scales

Research into programmable matter spans multiple length scales:

• Nanoscale: Scientists use DNA strands as programmable "bonds" to organize nanoparticles (the "atoms") into specific crystalline lattices known as Programmable Atom Equivalents (PAEs). By tuning the DNA sequence and nanoparticle core, researchers can create materials with optical or catalytic properties not found in nature. Additionally, heat-rechargeable molecular mac ...