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Updated: May 15, 2026

Silicon Microchips for Manipulating Cell-cell Interaction
Published on: August 30, 2007
Bio-Inspired Dynamically Morphing Microelectronics toward High-Density Energy Applications and Intelligent Biomedical
Leandro Merces1,2, Letícia Mariê Minatogau Ferro1,2, Aleena Thomas1,3
1Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany.
Abstract:
Choreographing the adaptive shapes of patterned surfaces to exhibit designable mechanical interactions with their environment remains an intricate challenge. Here, a novel category of strain-engineered dynamic-shape materials, empowering diverse multi-dimensional shape modulations that are combined to form fine-grained adaptive microarchitectures is introduced. Using micro-origami tessellation technology, heterogeneous materials are provided with strategic creases featuring stimuli-responsive micro-hinges that morph precisely upon chemical and electrical cues. Freestanding multifaceted foldable packages, auxetic mesosurfaces, and morphable cages are three of the forms demonstrated herein of these complex 4-dimensional (4D) metamaterials. These systems are integrated in dual proof-of-concept bioelectronic demonstrations: a soft foldable supercapacitor enhancing its power density (≈108 mW cm-2), and a bio-adaptive device with a dynamic shape that may enable novel smart-implant technologies. This work demonstrates that intelligent material systems are now ready to support ultra-flexible 4D microelectronics, which can impart autonomy to devices culminating in the tangible realization of microelectronic morphogenesis.
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