Mechanical metamaterial sensors: from design to applications

Abstract The integration of mechanical metamaterials with sensor technology has opened new frontiers in the design and application of advanced sensing systems due to their ability to impart unique mechanical properties that enhance sensor functionality. Mechanical metamaterials, with properties derived from their engineered structures rather than their material composition, offer unique advantages such as negative Poisson’s ratio, high strength-to-weight ratios, and programmable behaviors. This review explores the dual approaches of incorporating sensors with mechanical metamaterials: metamaterial-supported sensors, where metamaterials provide structural support and enhanced durability to traditional sensors, and metamaterial-integrated sensors, where the metamaterial itself serves as the sensing element. Incorporating metamaterials in sensor design can offer increased sensitivity and precision, enhanced structural integrity and durability, programmability and reconfigurability, as well as lightweight and compact design solutions. Key advancements in the field are presented, highlighting how metamaterials properties can enhance sensor performance in terms of sensitivity, precision, and operational versatility. The review covers the primary materials and fabrication techniques used, including additive manufacturing, molding, and physical vapor deposition, and discusses the challenges associated with the mechanical integration of metamaterials and sensors. Practical applications in pressure, strain, temperature, and biomedical sensing are examined, demonstrating the transformative potential of mechanical metamaterials in creating high-performance, multifunctional sensor systems. The discussion concludes with an outlook on future research directions and potential advancements in the field.