Tropistic materials incorporating a class of adaptively configurable materials capable of real-time detection, tracking, and processing incident stimulus are provided. Incident stimulus can comprise any energetic emission or signals, such as electromagnetic waves, acoustics waves, or magnetic fields. The materials comprise a deformable stimuli-responsive material, which can adapt configuratively to a specific stimulus, and may further comprise a plurality of absorbers or photo-sensitive molecules configured to convert external incident stimuli to the specific stimulus type toward which the deformable material is responsive.