Abstract

At the edge of new forms of matter. Making and utilizing new materials to improve our life is a defining feature of mankind. We moved on from the stone age, to the bronze age, to the age of silicon and plastic. Now we are at the edge of a new episode, where technological breakthroughs allow us to create, investigate and dream of a total new range of structured forms of matter. Two fields emerge strongly: 4D Printing offers a streamlined path from idea to full functionality and Mechanical metamaterials are structured materials with mechanical properties defined by their structure rather than their composition.