Breakthrough inverse programming technology transforms soft materials with magnetic precision

A research team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a new inverse programming technology that uses magnetic forces to shape and change the surface of soft materials.

This breakthrough opens up new possibilities in fields like precision medical technology, biomimetic soft robots, and information storage.

The team first created a hydrogel material with magnetic particles that can be "3D-printed" using light.

By carefully adjusting the light's intensity distribution with computer guidance, the material transforms into a desired 3D shape. Then, the researchers magnetized the deformed soft material, creating a 3D magnetization pattern that allows it to take on different shapes when exposed to an external magnetic field.

This approach greatly simplifies the process while improving the precision and efficiency of programming magnetic soft materials.

Lead researcher Zhang Li, a professor in CUHK’s Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, expects that this technology will help with targeted treatments, especially in the intestine, which has many wrinkled structures.

“This technology is expected to help medical professionals create patches that fit the specific shape of a patient’s gastrointestinal tract, ensuring a snug fit on the affected organ’s surface for better treatment results,” Zhang said.

Researcher Xia Neng, the first author of the research paper, mentioned that the technology also has potential uses in replicating human faces, information storage, and developing biomimetic soft robots.

The research team worked with scholars from the Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) and the University of Science and Technology of China.

The findings have been published in the internationally renowned journal Nature Synthesis.