DOI: 10.1002/adma. 201204180 such motions in man-made systems requires non-uniform
and locally programmable levels of deformation. Several examples exist, ranging from
pneumatically pumped arrays of chambers in elastomers,[27] to hybrid combinations of
biological cells and soft, deformable supports,[28] to sheets of photosensitive hydrogels.[29]
Each approach offers powerful capabilities, but none allows full, self-contained electronically
programmable and reversible responses, of the type that might be desirable in many …

Adaptive soft materials that can autonomously or programmably change their shapes are of
significant recent interest due to their broad applications. On page 1541 John A. Rogers,
Hanqing Jiang, and co‐workers combine compliant electrode arrays in open‐mesh
constructs with hydrogels to yield a class of soft actuator, capable of complex, programmable
changes in shape.