Scientists Create Programmable Metamaterial with More Configurations Than Atoms in Universe to Control Sound Waves

Scientists develop revolutionary programmable metamaterial with over 10^80 configurations—more than atoms in the universe—that controls sound waves in real-time for medical imaging, tumor therapy, and acoustic manipulation using AI-powered optimization.

• Researchers develop a programmable metamaterial using motorized asymmetrical pillars in an 11×11 grid that can control sound waves with more than 10^80 possible configurations, exceeding the number of atoms in the universe
• The metamaterial enables real-time tuning for applications including medical imaging, targeted therapy for tumors and kidney stones, acoustic tweezers, and fundamental wave physics research
• Engineers are incorporating AI algorithms to navigate the vast design space and work toward creating a fully autonomous material with machine learning optimization capabilities