Towards a Circular Economy via Intelligent Metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper explores how intelligent metasurfaces can be integrated into products to promote circular economy principles by enabling resource-efficient, adaptable, and secure designs through tunable physical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a methodology for deploying electromagnetic and mechanical intelligent metasurfaces to enhance circular economy practices in product design.

Findings

Metasurfaces can reduce resource waste in product manufacturing.

The methodology enables micro-management of vibrations and heat.

Circular economy potential is significantly increased through these technologies.

Abstract

The present study proposes the use of intelligent metasurfaces in the design of products, as enforcers of circular economy principles. Intelligent metasurfaces can tune their physical properties (electromagnetic, acoustic, mechanical) by receiving software commands. When incorporated within products and spaces they can mitigate the resource waste caused by inefficient, partially optimized designs and security concerns. Thus, circular economy and fast-paced product design become compatible. The study begins by considering electromagnetic metamaterials, and proposes a complete methodology for their deployment. Finally, it is shown that the same principles can be extended to the control of mechanical properties of objects, exemplary enabling the micro-management of vibrations and heat, with unprecedented circular economy potential.