Intelligent materials and devices: Shaping adaptive technologies for sustainable and intelligent futures

The dawn of the intelligent era has driven a paradigm shift in materials science, where intelligence, defined by adaptive responsiveness, artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and multifunctional synergy, has become the core benchmark for advanced functional systems.Unlike traditional materials, intelligent materials and devices have the inherent ability to perceive external stimuli (e.g., light, heat, force, electricity, and magnetism), initiate dynamic responses, and even self-optimize their performance.This enables transformative breakthroughs in wearable electronics, intelligent monitoring systems, and personal health management.Ranging from AI-enhanced fibers that can interact with the human body to reconfigurable optical metasurfaces and adaptive thermal management devices, this field is redefining the interaction among materials, devices, and the environment.Intelligent materials serve as the fundamental building blocks of next-generation smart systems, and device integration significantly enhances their functional potential.The combination of material innovation and intelligent design has overcome the limitations of single-functionality and passivity.To present the recent advancements, challenges, and applications in this rapidly evolving field, we have organized a special topic on "Intelligent Materials and Devices" in National Science Open.This collection includes one commentary, three perspectives, three reviews, and five research articles, covering frontier directions such as adaptive thermal regulation, reconfigurable optics, AI-enabled fiber design, multispectral intelligent camouflage, cross-domain intelligent monitoring, high precision sensing, and smart energy storage.