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Roadmap for animate matter
Giorgio Volpe1, Nuno A M Araujo2,3, Maria Guix4
1Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom.
Summary
Nature-inspired animate materials, with activity and adaptability, are emerging. This roadmap explores their potential for a sustainable circular economy, health, and climate resilience, guiding responsible development.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomimicry
- Robotics
- Nanotechnology
- Built Environment
Background:
- Humanity has historically drawn inspiration from nature for material and device innovation.
- Animate materials, mimicking living systems' activity, adaptability, and autonomy, represent a rapidly advancing frontier.
- Artificial animate materials promise significant impacts on the circular economy, health, and climate resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a roadmap of animate materials across disciplines and scales.
- To highlight the interdisciplinary nature and diverse applications of animate materials.
- To define a framework for classifying materials based on their level of animacy.
Main Methods:
- Authoritative perspectives from various disciplines were gathered.
- Animate materials were analyzed across different scales.
- A classification framework based on animacy levels was proposed.
Main Results:
- Animate materials offer transformative potential in nanotechnology, robotics, and the built environment.
- Addressing challenges like complexity, scalability, and ethics is crucial for development.
- A proposed framework can guide cooperation and responsible innovation.
Conclusions:
- Leveraging principles of living matter can lead to sustainable material and system design.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and ethical considerations are vital for advancing animate materials.
- The development of animate materials is poised to reshape our world sustainably.
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