September 12, 2025
from Science Advances
Northwestern mechanical engineers Wei Chen and Ryan Truby have developed an AI-driven design and 3D-printing method that enables materials to reshape themselves in response to stimuli like heat or light, mimicking nature's adaptive intelligence. Their autonomous system integrates physics-based simulations and topology optimization to rapidly design and fabricate shape-shifting materials, paving the way for smarter, more adaptable technologies in medicine, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. The work appears in Science Advances.
