Data-Driven Innovations from Pine ConeHygromorphism to Adaptive Technologies

Recent advancements in smart materials have ushered in a new era of adaptive, efficient, and sustainable technologies1. Smart materials possess intrinsic capabilities to respond dynamically to external stimuli—such as temperature, pressure, moisture, and electromagnetic fields—enabling their integration into responsive systems across multiple industries. This paper presents a comprehensive review of innovations in smart materials with an interdisciplinary focus, incorporating recent breakthroughs in shape memory alloys, piezoelectric materials, smart polymers, and nanostructured composites. In particular, the study includes a novel data-driven analysis of bio-inspired smart materials modelled after the natural hygromorphic behaviour of pine cones. Experimental data demonstrates controlled, reversible defor-mation under ambient humidity fluctuations (30–90% RH), with a response time averaging 15–30 minutes and displacement amplitudes up to 12 mm5.