  This paper reviews machine learning applications and approaches to detection,
classification and control of intelligent materials and structures with
embedded distributed computation elements. The purpose of this survey is to
identify desired tasks to be performed in each type of material or structure
(e.g., damage detection in composites), identify and compare common approaches
to learning such tasks, and investigate models and training paradigms used.
Machine learning approaches and common temporal features used in the domains of
structural health monitoring, morphable aircraft, wearable computing and
robotic skins are explored. As the ultimate goal of this research is to
incorporate the approaches described in this survey into a robotic material
paradigm, the potential for adapting the computational models used in these
applications, and corresponding training algorithms, to an amorphous network of
computing nodes is considered. Distributed versions of support vector machines,
graphical models and mixture models developed in the field of wireless sensor
networks are reviewed. Potential areas of investigation, including possible
architectures for incorporating machine learning into robotic nodes, training
approaches, and the possibility of using deep learning approaches for automatic
feature extraction, are discussed.
