Research activities in smart materials and structures and expectations to future developments

The paper starts with a brief introduction into the main ideas and concepts of smart materials and structures. Then, an overview about German research activities in this field is given. Some of the projects are summarized, including the main research ideas, some results, experiences, etc. Finally, a look into the future is ventured as a very important task to adjust research directions. The paper presents author's expectations, which are based upon his own research experiences and several discussions with colleagues in Europe, USA, Japan etc.