Bioinspired smart materials with synergistic allochroic luminescence and complex deformation are expected to play an important role in many areas of science and technology. However, it is still challenging to fabricate such soft actuators with high programmability that can be manipulated in situ with high spatial resolution. Herein, we have incorporated terminally functionalized aggregation‐induced emission active tetraphenylethene derivative and photochromic spiropyran moieties into the networks of liquid crystal elastomers through covalent bonding to obtain the synergistic photochromic luminescence and programmable soft actuators. Bio‐mimic functions and light‐induced auxetic metamaterial‐like devices were shown to be feasible based on the combination of assembly and origami‐programming strategy. These bioinspired devices with synergistic photochromic luminescence and complex photodeformation abilities provide an elegant strategy to design multi‐functional liquid crystal actuators.

Based on liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) materials, hierarchically structured soft actuators can meet some requirements for "human-friendly" working mode and execute complex tasks with intelligent adaptation to environmental changes. However, few researchers have paid much attention to the preparation methods of multicomponent/hierarchical LCE actuators. In this communication, we demonstrate the successful integration of an exchangeable diselenide chain extender for the preparation of dynamic LCEs, which could be reprogrammed on heating or under visible light illumination. Moreover, the rearrangeable polydiselenide networks could be applied to develop the self-welding technology toward fabricating hierarchically structured LCE actuators with sophisticated deformability without using any auxiliary reagent (adhesive, tape, catalysts or initiator) during the assembling process.

In nature, many mysterious creatures capable of deformation camouflage, color camouflage, and self‐healing have inspired scientists to develop various biomimetic soft robots. However, the systematic integration of all the above functionalities into a single soft actuator system still remains a challenge. Here we chemically introduce a multi‐stimuli‐responsive tetraarylsuccinonitrile (TASN) chromophore into a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) network through a facile thiol‐ene photoaddition method. The obtained TASN‐LCE soft actuators not only exhibit reversible shape‐morphing and reversible color‐changing behavior in response to heat and mechanical compression, but also show excellent self‐healing, reprogramming and recycling characteristics. We hope that such a TASN‐LCE actuator system endowed with dynamic distortion, thermo‐ and mechano‐chromic camouflage, and self‐healing functionalities would pave the way for further development of multifunctional biomimetic soft robotic devices.

Deformable liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) have been an attractive topic for years because of their great potential in intelligent soft systems such as artificial muscles, soft robotics, and smart optical devices. However, the application of conventional thermal‐responsive LCPs is usually limited by the low thermal conductivity of the polymer matrix and the high dependency on external heating device. In comparison, light‐controlled methods have many advantages, including being noncontact, remote in situ, and the ability to manipulate the spatial resolution of LCPs, which facilitate the development of diverse untethered and remotely manipulatable intelligent soft devices. Recently, remarkable progress has been made in the development of photodeformable LCPs by incorporation of organic or/and inorganic photoresponsive components as functional additives because the diverse functions of the incorporated components can be facilely combined with the directional shape‐morphing behaviors of LCPs in these systems via the interplay among the functional building blocks, mesomorphic phases, and polymer matrices. This review focuses on the design strategies, manufacturing methods, and working principles of photomanipulatable LCPs with incorporated photosensitive organic dyes or/and inorganic nanocomponents. Their possible applications and future developments are also briefly summarized.

Mitophagy plays a critical role in regulating and maintaining cellular functions, particularly regulating the quantity and quality of mitochondria. In this research, a multifunctional two-photon fluorescent probe Mito-PV with improved mitochondria-anchored ability was designed. The proposed probe can track the fluctuation of polarity and viscosity in mitochondria simultaneously with two well-distinguished emissions. It can also precisely visualize the change in mitochondrial morphology (including mitochondrial form factor and length). The real-time and accurate monitoring of mitophagy under two-photon excitation was successfully achieved by utilizing probe Mito-PV through supervising the alterations of diverse mitophagy-related parameters (including colocalization coefficient, polarity, viscosity, and mitochondrial morphology). In addition, probe Mito-PV can be applied to evaluate drug bpV­(phen) as an effective mitophagy inhibitor. Therefore, our work may provide a more efficient and reliable method for precisely monitoring mitophagy from multiple evaluations.