New metamaterials learn shapes, adapt behavior, and move like living systems

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam built metamaterials that learn to change shape and adapt behavior without central control.

The materials are chains of motorized hinges with microcontrollers that track motion, store states, and communicate locally.

Training uses repeated guided deformations to update hinge forces so the structure reproduces trained shapes, store multiple shapes, and switch between them.

Researchers aim to extend the system to time-dependent movement patterns and to test learning under noisy conditions.