Smart materials: From tiny robots to colour-swapping clothes
By Paul Rincon
Published
image captionMachines engineered at a microscopic level could be injected into the body
Imagine concrete bridges that can heal cracks without human intervention, or tiny machines that can be injected into the body to treat disease.
These are just two applications for a category of smart materials that change and adapt to their environment.
Inspired by living things, they have the potential to transform the way we live, according to a new report.
But they might also need regulation to avoid unintended consequences, says the document from the UK's Royal Society.