Ultrasensitive and robust mechanoluminescent living composites

Mechanosensing, the transduction of extracellular mechanical stimuli into intracellular biochemical signals, is a fundamental property of living cells. However, endowing synthetic materials with mechanosensing capabilities comparable to biological levels is challenging. Here, we developed ultrasensitive and robust mechanoluminescent living composites using hydrogels embedded with dinoflagellates, unicellular microalgae with a near-instantaneous and ultrasensitive bioluminescent response to mechanical stress. Not only did embedded dinoflagellates retain their intrinsic mechanoluminescence, but with hydrophobic coatings, living composites had a lifetime of ~5 months under harsh conditions with minimal maintenance. We 3D-printed living composites into large-scale mechanoluminescent structures with high spatial resolution, and we also enhanced their mechanical properties with double-network hydrogels. We propose a counterpart mathematical model that captured experimental mechanoluminescent observations to predict mechanoluminescence based on deformation and applied stress. We also demonstrated the use of the mechanosensing composites for biomimetic soft actuators that emitted colored light upon magnetic actuation. These mechanosensing composites have substantial potential in biohybrid sensors and robotics.