Recent Research on Intelligent Materials

Intelligent materials are the materials possessing functions in themselves such as the sensing function which detects the environmental change or their inner anomaly, the processor function which can judge the situation to lead the conclusion, and the actuating function which activates the materials within themselves to take action or give instruction. The structural and functional materials simply utilize the native properties and functions of their own. On the other hand, the intelligent materials are based on a new concept where the information science will be united with their own properties and functions. The intelligent materials are very important and useful in many fields and the interdisciplinary fields such as the medicine, pharmacy, bioengineering, polymer, metallurgy, semiconductor, ceramics, electronics, and machinery. It is also an extremely important material in human engineering, safety engineering, environmental research, and for study of the resources. In this report, the category of the intelligent material and the recent activities of research on the intelligent materials are discussed.