Martin Brandenbourger

University of Amsterdam, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Papers

Total Citations

527

H-Index

About

Martin Brandenbourger is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of mechanical metamaterials, active matter physics, and robotics, whose work is reshaping how scientists think about programmable and autonomous materials. His research focuses on engineering exotic mechanical behaviors — particularly non-reciprocal wave transmission and activity-driven locomotion — in structured physical systems that blur the boundary between materials and machines. Brandenbourger's most celebrated contribution, "Non-Reciprocal Robotic Metamaterials" (2019), has garnered an impressive 472 citations, establishing him as a leading voice in the field. This work demonstrated that robotic metamaterials can achieve large-scale non-reciprocity — where mechanical signals travel differently depending on direction — opening transformative possibilities for wave guiding, vibration damping, and energy harvesting. Subsequent research explored how active matter systems can be harnessed for adaptive locomotion and autonomous behavior, with his 2025 paper on adaptive locomotion of active solids already accumulating 41 citations shortly after publication. A recurring theme across his portfolio is the challenge of controlling energy-generating materials prone to instability — work he has tackled through concepts like limit cycles and nonlinear work cycles. Brandenbourger's research offers a compelling vision of materials that don't merely respond to their environment, but actively navigate it.