Industries 1.0, 2.0 (and most of) 3.0, saw manufacturing and construction using natural materials readily extracted, refined, amalgamated, machined, and molded. In general, these exhibited fixed mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. However, the latter stages of Industry 3.0 embraced synthetics exhibiting superior properties to afford new degrees of freedom in the design of structures and products. Today Industry 4.0 sees further advances with metamaterials, dynamic coatings, controllable properties, and additive manufacturing. Embedded smarts have also made communication between components, products and structures possible under the guise of the IoT. Adaptable materials with a degree of self-repair are also opening the door to further freedoms and less material use. In combination, these represent a big step toward sustainable societies with highly efficient ReUse, RePurposing, and Recycling (3R). At the leading edge, we are now realising active surfaces that can reflect, absorb, or amplify wireless signals, offer programmable colour, and integral energy storage. But amongst a growing list of possibilities, it is integral sensing & communication that may define this new era. In this presentation, we look at these advances in the context of smart design, cities & societies.

1. Smart Materials
and Structures
P r o f P e t e r C o c h r a n e O B E

2. Tech LandscapeS
Why are materials ‘always’ missing ?
VR & AR
small
data
AI
Quantum
Computing
Mobile Nets
Sensors
Actuators
Processing
Memory

3. Industry 4.0 Vision
Again materials are always missing?
At a fundamental level, human
progress is de
fi
ned by the
way we exploit, process, use,
and synthesise materials -
and yet they are almost never
included in descriptors of the
essentials or the future!
“New Materials are not only
core to our future progress,
they are essential in the
creation of sustainability”!

4. Reducin
g
Material
and
Energy
Used
for
the
produc
ti
on
of
a
given
product
Advancement of
Material Science,
Automa
ti
on, ITC,
Structures/Form
Productivity,
Performance
Knowledge,
E
ffi
ciency
CO2 Generation
Human Population
Ecological Damage
Material Consumption
HUMAN ADVANCEMENT
Materials and process innovation led

5. HUMan e xploitatio n
Finite resources & exponential demand
Sustainable
Provision
Excessive
Exploitation
“We have damaged our planet,
and now she is fighting back”

6. N e w M at e r i a l s
& s t r u c t u r e s
Provide us with ‘infinite’ energy
Our much bigger need is energy storage

7. N e w M at e r i a l s
& s t r u c t u r e s
Provide us with ‘infinite’ energy
Our much bigger need is energy storage
Todays technologies fall far short of
being sufficient/sustainable and we
need breakthroughs in thinking:
structures, materials, & basic
operating modes…probably
based on bio/nano tech
combinations to realise
a > 5x energy density
improvement!

8. T H I S I S N O T W A S T E
I t i s a s q u a n d e r e d l a t e n t r e s o u r c e
“ N o l i f e f o r m c a n s u r v i v e
i n i t ’ s o w n w a s t e
m a t e r i a l ”
“ R e p u r p o s i n g , R e u s i n g , R e c y c l i n g
i s n o t w o r k i n g - i t i s a
f u n d a m e n t a l f a i l u r e ”

9. I 4 . 0 : K e r n e l
Any sustainable future has
to embrace new materials,
s c i e n c e s , t e c h n o l o g i e s ,
e n g i n e e r i n g, p ro c e s s e s ,
a u t o m a t i o n , r o b o t i c s ,
organisational, operating,
and management modes,
intelligences and thinking…
and this centres on Nano/Bio
Tech, AI, Robotics, and most
likely, Quantum Computing!
BIO-TECH nano-TECH
Lower energ
y
Lower wast
e
Less friction
New material
s
New industrie
s
New processe
s
New capabilities
Multi-Disciplinar
y
hot spot for the 21C
AI
Robotics
Quantum
Computing
The first transformation step
The Io
T
Wrapper

10. M at e r i a l s d e f i n e
F O R M & F U N C T I O N
“Beyond global warming, pollution, and the denuding of material supplies
- we should remember that entire societies and civilisations rise and fall by
there mastery of materials and their manipulation/manufacture”
Stone
Wood
Metal
Woods
Metals
M e t a l
Rubber
M e t a l
A l l o y
Rubber

11. N E W F O R M ( s )
& FUNCTION(s)

12. N E W F O R M ( s )
& FUNCTION(s)
From printed muscles stronger than
biology to sensors more capable than
a cats whiskers or a dogs nose!
From printed muscles stronger than
biology to sensors more capable than
a cats whiskers or a dogs nose!

13. HUMAN SUR VIVAL
Hinges on our ingenuity alone
“We have to limit population growth whilst realising
a sustainable living & working environment
symbiotic with nature”
“We have to stop producing more
and more for the few, and start
providing su
ffi
cient for the many”

14. SMART Materials
Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n a t a b a s e l e v e l
• Lower energy of extraction, re
fi
nement, shaping and forming
• Greater durability, application and utility per item produced
• Higher levels of Repurposing, Reusing, Recovery, Recycling
• Greater operating, distribution, delivery and operational e
ffi
ciency
New Properties: Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, Chemical, Function…
• Conductivity
• Corrosion
• Density
• Malleability
• Elasticity
• Sti
ff
ness
• Hardness
• Plasticity
• Fracture
• Hardness
• Plasticity
• Memory
• Communication
• Networking
• Intelligence
• Adaptability
• Sensory
• ++++++

15. SMART CONCRETE
E n e r g y s t o r a g e + s e l f r e p a i r
+ i n t e g r a t e d s e n s o r s o n l i n e

16. SMART CONCRETE
O r g a n i c s e l f r e p a i r i n g
Integrated sensors can detect load
bearing distribution and detect any
precursors to failures

17. NO integrated sensors or utilities to record
wind and snow loading along with detecting
any precursors to failures et al

18. NO integrated sensors or utilities to record
wind and snow loading along with detecting
any precursors to failures et al

19. MULTI-LAYERED
S T R U C T U R E S
For all forms of panel and device
interface at a far lower cost

20. Rigid Mobile
Carry
Flexi Mobile
Pocket
Printed Mobile
Semi-Flex
Wearable
Printed Circuit Board
Soldered Components
Flexible Film Circuit
Surface Mount
Components
Printed Circuit Film
Welded/Deposited
Components
PRINTED MOBILES
The next phase of device evolution

21. Touch
Screen
Back
Light
Battery
Electronics
MULTI-LAYERED
STRUCTURES

22. Conventional
Rigid Products
Stretchable
Flexible
Textiles
Wearable
Phase 2: SMARTS - Embedded/Integrated
Electronic Sensors, Actuators, Processing
& Communication, Energy Storage, and
Limited Shape Shifting
3D PRINTED/
AM SPECIES

23. O i l r i g s & A i r c r a f t
C o n t i n u a l v i b r a t i o n / p e r f o r m a n c e /
m a i n t e n a n c e & a n a l y s i s r e p o r t i n g
Integrated sensors can detect operating condition of all
key components - precursors to failures - and failures

24. O i l r i g s & A i r c r a f t
C o n t i n u a l v i b r a t i o n / p e r f o r m a n c e /
m a i n t e n a n c e & a n a l y s i s r e p o r t i n g
Integrated sensors can detect operating condition of all
key components - precursors to failures - and failures
Tim
e
Frequency
Signal
Level

25. M Y F U T U R E C A R ? All components printed & smart ?
Entirely assembled by robots?
Always on-line?
Self driving ?
Body panels:
Energy storing
Colour programmable
Self repairing to a degree
Self cleaning - hydrophobic
100% recoverable materials
Components:
All IoT connected
Performance monitored
Highly recoverable materials
Windows/Glass:
PhotoChromatic
Self healing cracks/scratches

26. D U M B t o S M A R T
Wired and wireless vehicle IoT
D o z e n s o f s e n s o r s ,
r e c o r d e r s , c o n t r o l
u n i t s , a g g r e g a t e d b y
o n - b o a rd a n a l y s i s w i t h
s p o r a d i c I o T / I n t e r n e t
c o n n e c t v i a m u l t i p l e
channels
WiFi,3, 4, 5G Direct
to Service Centre
Communication
Direct Car-to-Car
Avoiding 3, 4, 5G Congestion

27. D U M B t o S M A R T
- Materials inventory & suppliers
- Production process detail
- Vehicle compatibilities
- Full logistics record
- Storage histories
- Handling details
- History of use
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Stress
- Failures
- Repairs
- Disposal
- Recycle
- Reuse
- +++
- Dynamic element of a vehicle
- Performance optimisation
- Parameter adjustment
- Pressure adaptation
- Suspension trim
- +++
- Reuse
- Repair
- Recycle
- Recover
- Replace
- Repurpose

28. W h e e l F u t u r e s
Pa ss i v e - A c t i v e
A ss e m b l e d ? ?
P r i n t e d ? ?

29. I oT E M B E D D E D C H I P S
I n e v e r y p r o d u c t & c o m m o d i t y i t e m
A u d i t
T r a i l s
H i s t o r y
D e s i g n D e t a i l s
M a t e r i a l S o u r c e s
E l e m e n t C r e a t i o n
C o m p o n e n t A s s e m b l y
P r o d u c t i o n P r o c e s s
P r o d u c t Te s t i n g
S u p p l y C h a i n
O w n e r D e t a i l s
R e p u r p o s i n g ?
R e c y c l i n g ?
R e u s e ?

30. Performance
& user feedback
failure detection
and prediction
For the first time users become
a part of the design loop!

31. Users a part of
design loop for
decades!
“In many ways the IT industry is
is an exemplary pre-cursor of
what is too come”

32. 1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
Water + Steam
Power
Mechanisation
Electrical Power
Mass Production
Computer
Control
Automation
Customisation Smart Factories
Efficient Additive
Production
INDUSTRY Evolves
A n e x p o n e n t i a l c y c l e
Smart Materials
Programable
Production
3R Greening
More & More
from
less and less

33. B I G C H A L L E N G E S
LIFETIME PERFORMANCE
W i l l t h e s e p ro p e r t i e s
remain stable for the
l i f e - t i m e o f t h e
p ro d u c t ?

34. Opportunity SPACE
I B M 2nm
Transistors
2 nm IBM
Transistors
C a r b o n
NanoTubes
V L S I
B i o
Tech
N a n o
Te c h
A huge amount of unexplored territory with potential
for combining/integrating proteins into plastics +++

35. O p p o r t u n i t y S P A C E
P r i n t e d a c t i v e / p a s s i v e m e t a - m a t e r i a l s
D i a p o l e L a y e r
R e f l e c t i v e L a y e r
R e f l e c t i v e
L a y e r
D i e l e c t r i c L a y e r s

36. P h a s e d A R R AY S
T r a c k i n g m u l t i p l e t a r g e t s
M e t a m a t e r i a l p a n e l s a l l o w
1 - 3 0 G H z r a d a r a p p s a n d
p r o v i d e a l o w r a d a r p r o f i l e
1 G H z = > ℷ = 3 3 c m
3 0 G H z = > ℷ = 1 c m
T h e b a s i c c o n c e p t s g o b a c k t o
W W I I , b u t r e a l i s a t i o n s i n f l a t
p a n e l f o r m h a v e o n l y b e e n w i t h u s
f o r ~ 5 0 y e a r s . O r i g i n s g o b a c k t o
t h e c o l d w a r a n d t h e n e e d t o
t r a c k m u l t i p l e b a l l i s t i c m i s s i l e s
T h e f i r s t ‘ t h i n ’ ( n e a r p r i n t e d )
l i g h t w e i g h t f l e x i b l e t e c h w a s
a p p l i e d t o a i r c r a f t s u r f a c e s i n
t h e l a t e 8 0 s a n d e a r l y 9 0 s

37. 1 2 x 2 4 x 4 1000 x 1000
+6dB
Gain over
single element
+9dB +60dB
ON
Equivalent Circuit
OFF
𝛌/2
f = 300GHz
𝛌 = 1mm
P r i n t e d A r r ay s
T h e b a s i c r a d i a t o r g e o m e t r y

38. B e a m S H A P I N G
M u l t i - b e a m s t e e r i n g
W o r k i n g w i t h M o t h e r N a t u r e
s e e s b e t t e r p e r f o r m a n c e a s
f r e q u e n c i e s i n c r e a s e r i g h t u p
t o o p t i c s a n d b e y o n d !

39. Direct Path Reflected
Steered
Amplified
Controlled
Penetration
Amplification
Contained
WLAN Signal
Wall = Large
Active/Passive
Array
A da p t i v e
B U I L D I N G

40. B I G G E S T C H A L L E N G E
EMERGENT B E H AV I O U R S
T h e I o T / S o c i a l N e t s
a re ’ m i n d f u l ’ a n d we
a re u n a b l e t o p re d i c t
t h e a c t u a l o u t c o m e s !

41. Humans ARE NOW
A PRIME LIMITTER
Our in ab ilit y t o cope, ad ap t , a nd
u n d e r s t a n d f a s t c h a n g i n g n o n -
lin ear envi ro nm en ts m a kes us th e
‘c e n t re s t a g e’ p ro b l e m !

42. T h a n k Y o u
www.petercochrane.com
“Things that Think want to Link
and
Things that Link want to Think”