Optomechanical computing in liquid crystal elastomers

Abstract

Embodied decision-making in soft, engineered matter has sparked recent interest towards the development of intelligent materials. Such decision-making capabilities can be realized in soft materials via digital information processing with combinational logic operations. Although previous research has explored soft material actuators and embedded logic in soft materials, achieving a high degree of autonomy in these material systems remains a challenge. Light is an ideal stimulus to trigger information processing in soft materials due to its low thermal effect and remote use. Thus, one approach for developing soft, autonomous materials is to integrate optomechanical computing capabilities in photoresponsive materials. Here, we establish a methodology to embed combinational logic circuitry in a photoresponsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) film. These LCEs are designed with embedded switches and integrated circuitry using liquid metal-based conductive traces. The resulting optomechanical computing LCEs can effectively process optical information via light, thermal, and mechanical energy conversion. The methods introduced in this work to fabricate a material capable of optical information processing can facilitate the implementation of a sense of sight in soft robotic systems and other compliant devices.