Multifunctional flipping-based mechanical metasurface enabling optical-microwave dual-modal reconfigurability

Dynamically and energy-efficient control of electromagnetic (EM) waves is highly desirable for next-generation wireless communication and sensing. However, most existing intelligent metasurfaces rely on power-hungry electronic circuits and complex fabrication, limiting their scalability and deployment. Here we introduce MetaScreen, a mechanically reconfigurable metasurface that exploits a unique flipping mechanism to alternate between meta-atoms with distinct EM responses and visual colors, thereby enabling simultaneous wavefront manipulation and optical display. Each bistable flip element integrates a permanent magnet and is actuated by a microcontroller-driven magnetic-control module to convert a short electrical pulse into rapid and non-volatile mechanical switching. This design achieves low-power and stable EM wave manipulation and endows the metasurface with intrinsic visual programmability through color-coded coatings on the meta-atom surfaces, conferring dual-modal reconfigurability and information delivery in both microwave and visible regimes. Dynamic beam steering for wireless communication, adaptive beam focusing for contactless respiration monitoring, bidirectional human-machine interaction, and microwave holography are demonstrated, highlighting the versatile EM manipulation and multi-domain programmability of the platform. Owing to its energy efficiency, low cost, and long-term stability, MetaScreen offers a practical route towards sustainable and scalable applications in wireless communication, smart internet of things (IoT), and optical-EM camouflage.