Researchers at Tampere University have demonstrated that light can be used to precisely reshape soft materials without mechanical contact. They have developed light‑responsive hydrogel thin films that enable programmable surfaces with high sensitivity, rapid response, precise spatial control and reversibility. The technology opens new possibilities for tunable devices in photonics, sensing and biomedicine. 

Asteroids and comets are scientifically valuable targets for understanding the early Solar System and promising objects for future in situ resource utilization. However, operating robots on these small bodies remains extremely challenging because of microgravity, irregular terrain, uncertain surface properties, and very low escape velocities. A review article published in SmartBot by researchers from China University of Mining and Technology, Soochow University, and the University of Oxford provides a comprehensive overview of three core technologies for small-body sampling robots: sampling, mobility, and anchoring. The review further highlights that the success of future missions depends not only on improving each individual module, but also on understanding and optimizing their dynamic coupling as an integrated robotic system.

Enzymes are essential in industries such as food production and pharmaceuticals, but natural enzymes often need improvements for commercial applications. Researchers in Japan have developed an in vitro selection platform, SMART, which could produce custom enzyme much more quickly and cost-effectively than conventional methods.