LinkNotes: Programmable Matter

Mutating Matter: New Technology Creates “Soft” Robots Can Flow Through a Crack or Under a Door! A Galaxy Classic

Like something out of Terminator 2, researchers are developing techniques for warfare of the future to create materials that self-assemble or alter their shape, perform a function and then disassemble themselves. These capabilities offer the possibility for morphing aircraft and ground vehicles, uniforms that can alter themselves in any climate, and “soft” robots that flow like mercury through small openings to enter caves and bunker complexes.

A revolutionary new technology in being developed by DARPA that may allow future war leaders to command their equipment to physically change itself to meet new operational needs or to form spare parts or tools.

clipped from en.wikipedia.org

Programmable matter

Programmable matter refers to matter which has the ability to change its physical properties (shape, density, moduli, optical properties, etc.) in a programmable fashion, based upon user input or autonomous sensing. Programmable matter is thus linked to the concept of a material which inherently has the ability to perform information processing.

clipped from www.youtube.com

cnn - intel "programmable matter"

Researchers are working on matter that will morph into different shapes, depending on your needs.

clipped from www.afcea.org

Programmable Matter Research Solidifies

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a technology that will allow future military equipment to change shape on command. Several university teams are working on different approaches to create "programmable matter"—made of individual pieces that can self-assemble into tools or spare parts. One of the approaches being examined uses sheets of self-folding material that can form three-dimensional shapes on command.

clipped from www.afcea.org

One of the key challenges of DARPA’s Programmable Matter program is to get the individual pieces, ranging in size from 100 micrometers to one centimeter, to stick together to form an effective tool. One of the program’s research teams has developed a way to both program and coat objects with DNA. The DNA strands act as a "molecular Velcro" to hold small objects together to assemble into a tool. After it is used, the DNA can be commanded to release and disassemble the object.

clipped from www.darpa.mil

Programmable Matter

The goal of Programmable Matter Program is to demonstrate a new functional form of matter, based on mesoscale particles, which can reversibly assemble into complex 3D objects upon external command. These 3D objects will exhibit all the functionality of their conventional counterparts.

clipped from www.youtube.com

claytronics

clipped from www.youtube.com

Claytronics Trumpet

A demonstration of the Claytronics project at Carnegie Mellon University. This video shows the result of a Meld program, with 1M claytronics atoms forming into a trumpet.