MIT researchers reported on Sept. 16, 2026, in Science Advances that they built a nanoscale computing platform using the mechanical behavior of soft polymers. The device sandwiches a super-thin film of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) between two metal electrodes; the soft material acts as a "nano-spring" that balances adhesive forces and allows controlled, reversible compression, according to the researchers.

Applying voltage pulls the electrodes together, compressing the polymer and altering current through the device. Because PDMS is viscoelastic, it takes time to return to its original state, letting the device record the history of applied forces and voltages. The team demonstrated an artificial neuron: stimulus accumulates until a threshold is crossed and the device "fires," then relaxes. Farnaz Niroui, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science and senior author, said the work harnesses intrinsic material properties so the material plays a more active role in device function.

The researchers described potential uses in low-power edge computing, interactive medical and environmental monitoring, smart prosthetics and wearable health patches. They said future work aims to integrate sensing with computing and memory. The work was funded in part by DARPA, NSF, an MIT EECS MathWorks Fellowship and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, with fabrication partly at MIT.nano.