Adaptronics contribute to the optimal use of products. In particular, 'intelligent' structures can quickly adjust their conduct autonomically to changing operational conditions. The spectrum of areas of application ranges from automobile industry, aviation and astronautics, medical technology up to the micro system technology. Adaptronics build a bridge between the material and system and encompasses the search for multifunctional elements and their integration into a system or structure. All physical technologies as well as chemical and biological technologies are influential areas of technology. Application fields, exemplary projects and research centers involved in adaptronics are presented, and obstacles and deficits in the application related research are discussed. (WEN)Available from TIB Hannover: RR 4037(1) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman