A Material Database Framework to Support the Design of Shape-Changing Products

New classes of smart materials are emerging, revolutionizing the way we design and interact with products. Their dynamic properties are changing our perception and understanding of what a material is in itself (a system), and especially what it is able to do (its performance). The use of smart materials generates new opportunities in the creation of future forms of interaction, promoting the concepts of material move, material turn, material lens, and dynamic products. This study aims to provide design students and industrial designers with information and inspiration on the topic of Shape-Changing Material Systems (SCMSs) by developing a framework for an explorative database. The integrated digital tool, implemented with a set of 25 case studies, fosters the further development of these materials, and opens up new opportunities of application in multisensory dynamic products.