Related papers: Active matter under control: Insights from respons…

In equilibrium, the physical properties of matter are set by the interactions between the constituents. In contrast, the energy input of the individual components controls the behavior of synthetic or living active matter. Great progress…

In this book chapter, we review how systems of simple motile agents can be used as a pathway to intelligent systems. It is a well known result from nature that large groups of entities following simple rules, such as swarms of animals, can…

Living things enact control of non-equilibrium, dynamical structures through complex biochemical networks, accomplishing spatiotemporally-orchestrated physiological tasks such as cell division, motility, and embryogenesis. While the exact…

The hallmark of active matter is the autonomous directed motion of its microscopic constituents driven by consumption of energy resources. This leads to the emergence of large scale dynamics and structures without any equilibrium…

Active materials are capable of converting free energy into mechanical work to produce autonomous motion, and exhibit striking collective dynamics that biology relies on for essential functions. Controlling those dynamics and transport in…

Active matter systems encompass both natural and artificially created systems consisting of numerous active particles. These particles actively consume energy to propel themselves or exert mechanical forces, leading to intricate behaviors…

Active matter, as other types of self-organizing systems, relies on the take-up of energy that can be used for different actions, such as active motion or structure formation. Here we provide an agent-based framework to model these…

Embedding microscopic sensors, computers and actuators into materials allows physical systems to actively monitor and respond to their environments. This leads to the possibility of creating smart matter, i.e., materials whose properties…

Smart active agents must allocate finite energetic resources across distinct functions, yet the underlying thermodynamic trade-offs remain poorly understood. Here, we introduce a minimal model of a self-steering particle with an internal…

This paper presents a unified optimization framework for phase change material (PCM) based cooling systems. Thermal management is critical in applications such as photovoltaic (PV) modules, battery packs, and power electronics, where…

Biological molecular machines convert free energy between different forms in cells, often at high efficiency. Optimal control theory provides a framework to elucidate design principles governing energetically efficient driving. Here, we use…

A central goal of thermodynamics is to identify optimal processes during which the least amount of energy is dissipated into the environment. Generally, even for simple systems, such as the parametric harmonic oscillator, optimal control…

Shortcut schemes can accelerate quasi-static processes in passive systems by adding auxiliary controls to realize swift transitions between equilibrium states. In active systems, however, inherently directed motion driven by free energy…

Thermal energy agitates all matter and its competition with ordering tendencies is one of the most fundamental organizing principles in the physical world. Thus, it is natural to enquire if an effective temperature could result when…

The concept of entropy has been pivotal in the formulation of thermodynamics. For systems driven away from thermal equilibrium, a comparable role is played by entropy production and dissipation. Here we provide a comprehensive picture how…

Feedback control plays a central role in active matter, yet it is inevitably accompanied by noise and finite perception--action delays. This Perspective reviews recent advances on active systems with delayed interactions, showing how time…

Understanding the complex patterns in space-time exhibited by active systems has been the subject of much interest in recent times. Complementing this forward problem is the inverse problem of controlling active matter. Here we use optimal…

We develop a theory of the effective disorder temperature in glass-forming materials driven away from thermodynamic equilibrium by external forces. Our basic premise is that the slow configurational degrees of freedom of such materials are…

In the last decade, the study of pressure in active matter has attracted growing attention due to its fundamental relevance to nonequilibrium statistical physics. Active matter systems are composed of particles that consume energy to…

Many collective systems exist in nature far from equilibrium, ranging from cellular sheets up to flocks of birds. These systems reflect a form of active matter, whereby individual material components have internal energy. Under specific…