Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 31: Responsive and Adaptive Systems

CPP 31.1: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 09:30–10:00, ZEU/0255

Hydrogels with a Pinch of Embodied Intelligence — •Andreas Walther — Department Chemie, JGU Mainz

Smart is good, but intelligent is better. The next frontier in soft matter research is to design life-like materials with embodied intelligence, featuring the integrated sensor-processor-actuator paradigm. Our work explores how hydrogels and soft robotic systems can be endowed with autonomous operation and decision-making capacity by embedding chemical reaction networks, enzymatic feedback loops, and mechanical gating principles. Such metagels and metamaterials are capable of self-strengthening behavior, strain-gated responses, and non-reciprocal motion, moving far beyond the limits of traditional responsive materials. By intertwining chemical, mechanical, and structural information, these systems provide a blueprint for programmable, adaptive matter that approaches the complexity and functionality of biological tissues.

Keywords: Hydrogels; embodied intelligence; metagels; chemical reaction networks; soft robotics