Shape-Directed Dynamic Assembly of Active Colloidal Metamachines

motors. The coupling of local chemical concentration gradient fields between the two types of motors generates short-range site-selective interactions, promoting the shape-directed assembly toward active colloidal metamachines with well-defined spatial configurations. Metamachines, made of colloidal motors, exhibit configuration-dependent kinematics. The colloidal metamachines can be reversibly reconstructed by adjusting lighting conditions and can move phototactically along a predetermined path under the structured light field. Such chemically driven colloidal metamachines that integrate multiple active agents provide a significant avenue for fabricating active soft matter materials and intelligent robotic systems with advanced applications.