New metamaterial morphs into new shapes, taking on new properties

Scientists from Caltech, Georgia Tech, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich have developed a metamaterial that can change shape in a tunable fashion. While most reconfigurable materials can toggle between two distinct states – the way a switch toggles on or off – the new material's shape can be finely tuned, adjusting its physical properties as desired. The material has potential applications in next-generation energy storage and bio-implantable micro-devices.