A
composite material (also called a
composition material or shortened to
composite) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different
physical or
chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. The new material may be preferred for many reasons: common examples include materials which are stronger, lighter, or less expensive when compared to traditional materials. More recently, researchers have also begun to actively include sensing, actuation, computation and communication into composites, which are known as
Robotic Materials.