Bioinspired Nonequilibrium Information System Enabling Life‐Like Memory Evolution in Chitosan Hydrogel

ABSTRACT Living systems realize temporal information regulation and dynamic memory evolution through nonequilibrium ion gradients and reaction‐diffusion processes, offering key inspiration for intelligent material design. Mimicking this temporal dynamic breaks the static response paradigm and unlocks time as a new dimension for encryption. Unlike the static “appearing‐disappearing” binary responses of conventional optical materials, which depend on prefabricated templates or external stimuli for state switching, we present a bioinspired dynamic information system based on soft hydrogels. Information storage is achieved through electrical writing, eliminating the need for chemical additives. Subsequent exposure to an ionic solution initiates nonequilibrium reaction‐diffusion dynamics, enabling autonomous and complete information evolution within the hydrogel system without any additional external intervention after the initial trigger. This process includes not only self‐erasure but also spontaneous information recall—a behavior not previously realized in similar systems. The system mimics life‐like memory behavior: memory formation (information display), forgetting (partial erasure), memory recall (re‐revealing), and completely forgotten (final self‐erasure). This work overcomes the static response limitations of traditional information systems and establishes a new paradigm for constructing nonequilibrium intelligent materials with life‐like adaptive and memory functions.