Silica-based distributed fiber-optic sensor (DFOS) systems have been a powerful tool for sensing strain, pressure, vibration, acceleration, temperature, and humidity in inextensible structures. DFOS systems, however, are incompatible with the large strains associated with soft robotics and stretchable electronics. We develop a sensor composed of parallel assemblies of elastomeric lightguides that incorporate continuum or discrete chromatic patterns. By exploiting a combination of frustrated total internal reflection and absorption, stretchable DFOSs can distinguish and measure the locations, magnitudes, and modes (stretch, bend, or press) of mechanical deformation. We further demonstrate multilocation decoupling and multimodal deformation decoupling through a stretchable DFOS–integrated wireless glove that can reconfigure all types of finger joint movements and external presses simultaneously, with only a single sensor in real time.

Self-assembly of nanocrystal (NC) building blocks into mesoscopic superstructures with well-defined symmetry and geometry is essential for creating new materials with rationally designed properties. Despite the tremendous progress in colloidal assembly, it remains a fundamental challenge to assemble isotropic spherical NCs into one-dimensional (1D) ordered superstructures. Here, we report a new and general methodology that utilizes molecular clusters to induce the anisotropic assembly of NCs in solution, yielding polymer-like, single-NC-wide linear chains comprising as many as ∼1000 close-packed NCs. This cluster-assisted assembly process is applicable to various metallic, semiconductor, and magnetic NCs of different sizes and shapes. Mechanistic investigation reveals that the solvent-induced association of clusters plays a key role in driving the anisotropic assembly of NCs. Our work opens a solution-based route for linearly assembling NCs and represents an important step toward the bottom-up construction of 1D ordered NC superstructures.

This article introduces a simple two‐stage method to synthesize and program a photomechanical elastomer (PME) for light‐driven artificial muscle‐like actuations in soft robotics. First, photochromic azobenzene molecules are covalently attached to a polyurethane backbone via a two‐part step‐growth polymerization. Next, mechanical alignment is applied to induce anisotropic deformations in the PME‐actuating films. Cross‐linked through dynamic hydrogen bonds, the PMEs also possess autonomic self‐healing properties without external energy input. This self‐healing allows for a single alignment step of the PME film and subsequent “cut and paste” assembly for multi‐axis actuation of a self‐folded soft‐robotic gripper from a single degree of freedom optical input.

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