External control of the swimming speed of `active particles' can be used to self assemble designer structures in situ on the micrometer to millimeter scale. We demonstrate such reconfigurable templated active self assembly in a fluid environment using light powered strains of Escherichia coli. The physics and biology controlling the sharpness and formation speed of patterns is investigated using a bespoke fast-responding strain.
@article{arxiv.1710.08188,
title = {Painting with bacteria: Smart templated self assembly using motile bacteria},
author = {Jochen Arlt and Vincent A Martinez and Angela Dawson and Teuta Pilizota and Wilson C K Poon},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1710.08188},
year = {2018}
}