Soft materials that can demonstrate on demand configurability and compliance are highly sought in fields such as soft robotics. Whilst there are numerous proof of concept materials and devices, rigorous predictive models of deformation have not been well-established or widely adopted. In this presentation, we discuss programming complex three-dimensional deformations of a soft material by controlling the anisotropy and mode of electric field activation. The programming is achieved by patterning contractile units and selectively activating spatial regions. The constitutive model is derived within a continuum mechanics framework using an invariant-based formulation. Computational implementation allows us to simulate the complex shape response and reveals various intricate patterns when activated by electric field. This talk also discusses active anisotropy in biological tissue, namely muscle. The numerical simulations are meant to inspire new engineering materials and introduce a framework for design when considering soft stimuli-responsive materials with intrinsic anisotropy.

[Contact: S. Alben]