Book excerpt: First European Conference on Smart Structures and Materials provides a detailed review of developments and applications in the exciting area of smart structures and materials. Topics covered include polymer chemistry, materials research, advanced sensor technology, signal processing, and innovative approaches to control and actuation. These invited, contributed, and poster papers are written by many of the leading international researchers in this rapidly developing area. This book will be invaluable reading for researchers in all aspects of smart materials and structures, a subject encompassing aerospace technology, civil and mechanical engineering, biomedicine, and component manufacture.