Artificially-structured materials with smart elements

A method comprising:

• detecting one or more stimuli by one or more sensors in a plurality of sensors included in an array of elements forming an artificially-structured material, the array of elements including an array of tuning mechanisms;
• and
• changing, using one or more tuning mechanisms in the array of tuning mechanisms, material properties of the artificially-structured material by changing one or more operational properties of one or more elements in the array of elements on a multiple-element basis in response to the one or more stimuli detected by the one or more sensors, the one or more tuning mechanisms in operable communication with the one or more sensors and the one or more elements through either or both of electronic or optical circuitry.

A system comprising:

• an array of elements forming an artificially-structured material;
• and
• an array of tuning mechanisms included as part of the array of elements, wherein one or more tuning mechanisms of the array of tuning mechanisms are configured to change material properties of the artificially-structured material by changing one or more operational properties of one or more elements of the array of elements on multiple-element basis in response to one or more stimuli detected by one or more sensors in a plurality of sensors included in the array of tuning mechanisms, the one or more tuning mechanisms in operable communication with the one or more sensors and the one or more elements through either or both of electronic or optical circuitry.