The tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a crucial role in tumour progression and metastasis. Although spheroids effectively model tumour invasion by mimicking in vivo 3D structures, their formation and subsequent mixing with the matrix make it difficult to control their position in the 3D matrix, leading to deep embedding and hindering the assessment of immune cell-mediated regulation of invasion. This paper introduces an extracellular matrix (ECM)-integrated hanging drop platform that enables simultaneous spheroid formation and matrix incorporation, allowing precise spatial control and direct assessment of immune cell-mediated regulation of invasion. In the presence of microglia (MG), cancer cells rapidly migrate out of the spheroids through the ECM, demonstrating cancer invasion. The cytotoxic effect of natural killer (NK) cells on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) spheroids is decreased owing to the inhibition of NK cell infiltration in the presence of MG, highlighting the immunosuppressive nature of the TIME. However, inhibiting signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation with drugs halts MG-induced immunosuppression and enhances NK cell infiltration. This model enables efficient high-throughput screening and is the first to allow for precise quantification of the effects of the STAT3 inhibitor on tumour invasion, immune cell movement, and behaviour within a physiologically relevant GBM TIME model.

The muscle-tendon complex (MTC) in biological systems integrates contractileactuation and proprioceptive sensing, enabling coordinated feedback control ofmuscle activations through simultaneous afferent (sensory) and efferent (mo-tor) signaling. To achieve similar functionality, artificial muscles, often basedon polymeric materials with intricate material behaviors, require embeddedproprioceptive capabilities to enable adaptive and reliable feedback control.Here, an artificial MTC-inspired liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) muscle withembedded physical intelligence is presented that supports simultaneous sens-ing and actuation. The proposed system utilizes embedded liquid metal (LM)channels for Joule heating and sensing of mechanical states, such as force andlength, within the LCE structure. The multimaterial design combines isotropicLCE and nematic LCE, each with distinct thermomechanical properties opti-mized for specific functions, allowing for responsive contractile actuation andefficient proprioception. Integrated within a single, compact structure, thisartificial muscle combines all sensing and actuation components, enhancingcompliance and proprioceptive functionality. Furthermore, the LCE actuatorsare arranged in an antagonistic pair, mirroring the setup of biological muscles,to improve controllability and coordination. These MTC-inspired LCE artificialmuscles demonstrate closed-loop feedback control in robotic applications,such as a robotic finger and gripper system, highlighting the potentialof embedded physical intelligence in advanced robotic control systems.

Advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing has expanded design freedom across various fields, including footwear. Driven by recent progress in biomechanics, footwear has increasingly adopted complex structural designs to meet diverse functional demands, ranging from personal activity to competitive athletics and medical rehabilitation. Accordingly, the role of 3D printing in footwear development has become increasingly significant. This review categorizes the functions of footwear into protection, performance enhancement, and therapeutic applications, and systematically explores the impact of 3D printing on each of these primary functions. 3D printing technology enables the fabrication of complex but mechanically efficient structures, while 3D scanning method facilitates the application of optimal, personalized designs tailored to individual biomechanics, which significantly impact all three functional areas of footwear. Such design advantages offered by 3D printing have been demonstrated across various fields, with both commercial and academic examples presented to support these findings. This review highlights interdisciplinary insights from biomechanics, ergonomics, and clinical studies to discuss the current status, limitations, and future potential of 3D-printed footwear. We conclude that continuous advancements in design methodology, material science, and printing technology will accelerate the adoption of 3D printing in nextgeneration footwear.

Inspired by the unique structural design of diaspores of flowering plants, hook-and-loop fasteners have been developed to offer strong bonding, reusability, andlow maintenance requirements. However, conventional hook-and-loop fastenersalso require a significant separation force for release. Herein, a 3D hook-and-loopfastener made of a shape memory polymer (SMP) is presented. The SMP hookpatch with an array of microhooks is fabricated using projection microstereoli-thography (PμSL) and molding. The robust bonding of the hook-and-loop fas-tener is demonstrated at room temperature, and a significant reduction inseparation force when heated, enabling on-demand easy separation of the hook-and-loop fastener through temperature control. Moreover, the deformation of theSMP hooks that occurs during separation can be recovered by heating, allowingfor repeated uses. The SMP hook-and-loop fastener with tunable bond strengthholds great potential for applications in various industrial fields that require easyassembly, robust bonding, and on-demand release with low separation force.

Nanofluidic systems have garnered considerable attention in research due to their distinctive physical characteristics and the challenges they present in microfluidic applications. The fabrication of nanostructures within these systems has emerged as a critical research area, because of their critical importance. As nanofabrication research advances, the demand for cost-effective, high throughput methods has increased, highlighting the necessity for fabrication techniques that do not depend on complex cleanroom facilities. In this paper, we present a straightforward yet effective and economical method for creating nanostructures over large areas using only a conventional 3D printer. Our proposed two-step approach includes a 3D printing step followed by a simple thermomechanical deformation step. We demonstrate the successful generation of nanopores across extensive areas, verified through SEM imaging and quantitative pore size measurements. Furthermore, we utilized the fabricated nanopore structure to demonstrate overlimiting responses and a nanofluidic diode, which indicates the presence of nanostructures. While the repeatability and reproducibility are relatively lower than ones fabricated by sophisticated nanofabrication techniques, we expect that this research will significantly lower the barriers associated with advanced nanofabrication facilities, thereby promoting progress in nanoengineering research.