Engineers at MIT and their collaborators have created a new type of soft gel that can dramatically change how well it conducts electricity when exposed to light.
This breakthrough could open the door to new kinds of wearable devices, soft robots, and technologies that connect more naturally with the human body.
One of the biggest differences between living systems and traditional electronics is their physical nature.
Living tissues, such as skin and muscles, are soft and flexible. In contrast, most electronic devices are rigid and hard.
This mismatch makes it difficult to seamlessly connect technology with the human body.
To address this challenge, researchers are exploring a growing field called ionotronics. Instead of using electrons, like conventional electronics, ionotronics uses ions—charged particles such as sodium or potassium—to carry signals.
This is the same way cells in our bodies communicate with each other, making ionotronics a promising bridge between machines and biological systems.
The MIT team has developed a soft, flexible gel that can control how easily ions move through it. What makes this material special is that its conductivity can be changed simply by shining light on it. When exposed to light, the gel becomes up to 400 times more conductive, allowing ions to move much more freely.
According to the researchers, this is achieved by using special materials called photo-ion generators. These compounds react to light by releasing ions, which increases the material’s ability to conduct signals.
The team combined these generators with a rubber-like material known as polyurethane to create a gel that is both flexible and responsive.
To make the gel, the researchers dissolved the photo-ion generators into a liquid and then allowed the rubber to absorb the mixture. This process ensured that the light-sensitive components were evenly distributed throughout the material.
One of the most exciting aspects of this discovery is its potential for creating systems that can adapt to their environment. For example, a soft device could automatically change its behavior in response to light conditions. This could lead to new types of sensors or devices that process information in ways similar to living organisms.
At the moment, the change in conductivity is permanent once the gel is exposed to light. However, the researchers believe future versions could be designed to switch back and forth, allowing for even more advanced applications.
The team also sees opportunities to develop similar materials that respond to other environmental factors, such as heat or magnetic fields. This could expand the range of uses for these soft, responsive materials.
This research, published in Nature Communications, represents an important step toward creating technologies that are softer, smarter, and more compatible with the human body.
In the future, it could help power innovations in wearable electronics, medical devices, and robotics, bringing us closer to a world where technology feels more like a natural extension of ourselves.
Source: MIT.
