Ferroelectret nanogenerators were recently introduced as a promising alternative technology for harvesting kinetic energy. Here we report the device's intrinsic properties that allow for the bidirectional conversion of energy between electrical and mechanical domains; thus extending its potential use in wearable electronics beyond the power generation realm. This electromechanical coupling, combined with their flexibility and thin film-like form, bestows dual-functional transducing capabilities to the device that are used in this work to demonstrate its use as a thin, wearable and self-powered loudspeaker or microphone patch. To determine the device's performance and applicability, sound pressure level is characterized in both space and frequency domains for three different configurations. The confirmed device's high performance is further validated through its integration in three different systems: a music-playing flag, a sound recording film and a flexible microphone for security applications.

Engineered metamaterials offer unique functionalities for manipulating the spectral and spatial properties of electromagnetic waves in unconventional ways. Here, we report a novel approach for making reconfigurable metasurfaces capable of deflecting electromagnetic waves in an electronically controllable fashion. This is accomplished by tilting the phase front of waves through a two-dimensional array of resonant metasurface unit-cells with electronically-controlled phase-change materials embedded inside. Such metasurfaces can be placed at the output facet of any electromagnetic radiation source to deflect electromagnetic waves at a desired frequency, ranging from millimeter-wave to far-infrared frequencies. Our design does not use any mechanical elements, external light sources, or reflectarrays, creating, for the first time, a highly robust and fully-integrated beam-steering device solution. We demonstrate a proof-of-concept beam-steering metasurface optimized for operation at 100 GHz, offering up to 44° beam deflection in both horizontal and vertical directions. Dynamic control of electromagnetic wave propagation direction through this unique platform could be transformative for various imaging, sensing, and communication applications, among others.

This study demonstrates the use of light colors to selectively actuate micrometer-sized structures.

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This paper describes a strategy to impart brittle conductive patterns composed of silver nanoparticles with high stretchability and structure‐dependent electrical characteristics. Silver nanoinks are printed on an elastomeric polyurethane acrylate substrate in the form of planar serpentine structures that can effectively mitigate strain concentration. The relative changes in resistance (∆R/R 0) and stretchability are found to strongly depend on the serpentine radius (r) that determines the strain relieving efficiency. Features with small radius of curvature show colossal ∆R/R 0 and hold great promise as ultrasensitive stretchable strain gauges. A record high gauge factor of 107 is achieved at 12% strain with r = 200 µm. Devices with larger radius of curvature exhibit higher stretchability and much more stable conductance, thus can be used as stretchable conductors. The results demonstrate the versatile functionalities that can be acquired from conventional materials by judicious structural designs.