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Active Materials
Any construction material, fabric or coating that can respond to the environment in a controlled way. Active materials can change shape, colour, texture, strength, thermal or electrical conductivity, or transparency, or repair damage automatically.

Active materials may include a layer of nanotech assemblers/replicators, a layer of utility fog or similar mesotechnology, phased-array optics and/or other types of smart matter such as quantum dots. Active materials also may contain sophisticated processors to control the activity of the material or to monitor the local environment.
 
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Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Additions by Steve Bowers
Initially published on 31 December 2001.

 
 
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