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Programmable Metamaterials
Engineered materials with structures smaller than the wavelength of light, giving them properties not found in nature. They can bend light, sound, or heat in arbitrary directions and be reconfigured on demand.
Why It Matters
Applications include invisibility cloaking, perfect acoustic insulation, ultra-efficient antennas, flat lenses that replace bulky optics, and surfaces that redirect earthquake vibrations around buildings.
Development Stage
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