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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Collective actuation in active solids arises from feedback between structural deformations and active force orientation.
  • This phenomenon is a fundamental mechanism for oscillatory dynamics and regulation in dense biological systems.
  • Controlling the onset of collective actuation is crucial for advancing life sciences research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the dynamics of active solids under an external polarizing field.
  • To explore the emergence of novel oscillatory regimes and their relationship to collective actuation.
  • To understand how external fields influence the transition to collective behavior in active matter.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing a combination of model experiments and computational simulations.
  • Developing theoretical models to analyze the behavior of individual active agents.
  • Comparing experimental findings with theoretical predictions and simulation results.

Main Results:

  • A novel oscillatory regime was observed in the presence of an external polarizing field, which is absent at zero field.
  • Theoretical analysis revealed that single-agent dynamics under the field can be analogized to a nonlinear pendulum.
  • The transition to collective actuation is promoted at low external fields, resulting in a reentrant transition in many-agent systems.

Conclusions:

  • External fields can significantly alter the dynamics of active solids, introducing new oscillatory behaviors.
  • The nonlinear pendulum analogy provides a framework for understanding single-agent responses to external fields.
  • Control over collective actuation in active solids is achievable through the application of external fields, with implications for designing active matter systems.