Programmable materials promise shape-shifting robots and more

By Dick Pelletier

      

    An amazing technology revolution looms ahead that promises to deliver a future that will truly seem magical. By creating tiny computer-controlled parts that can join together to form larger objects, researchers have created programmable materials that could one day enable us to change shapes of everyday objects on command.

    Imagine making your cell phone smaller to fit comfortably in your pocket, and then make it larger so you can text more easily. Now picture your phone becoming a headset so you could talk more conveniently; or reshape itself into a bracelet allowing you to wear it like a watch. Welcome to tomorrow's cell phones made from programmable components.

    The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is creating systems that allow combat equipment to automatically change shape when necessary. This futuristic military research organization wants to create uniforms that can transform texture and color on command to keep soldiers comfortable in extreme heat and cold environments.

    DARPA is also developing shape-shifting robots that can flow like mercury through small openings to sneak into caves and bunkers (envision the morphing robot in Terminator2).

    Nearly 20 years since its beginning, this technology is finally emerging as a genuine industry; Genentech, Roche, and Glaxo-Smith-Kline are already making drugs with changeable chemicals.

    Although biotech applications wield important influence for this new technology, they are minuscule when compared with other benefits that could arise. Programmable materials have the ability to simulate any element on the periodic table. This could one day give us the power to change anything into anything.

    Scientist Wil McCarthy, in his book Hacking Matter, believes programmable materials will touch on nearly every aspect of our lives, with special focus on clothing and homes.

    Future clothing could become strong as steel should the body be threatened. Sensing danger, clothes made from programmable materials would automatically strengthen and protect us from bullet and knife wounds, and accident damages.

    On command, walls in our homes could light up with a radiant glow; TVs would look less like moving pictures and more like three-dimensional windows; and as amazing as this seems, we could actually move doors and windows to different walls.

    Applications under development at Carnegie Mellon University includes lifelike images of robots and people created from billions of computerized parts that join together to create any object in a room, including simulated people.

    Each individual component becomes part of a computerized network of objects and identifies itself based on function; for example, a part might see itself as a human finger. Researchers are working to program millions of these computer-controlled wonders to work together, much like a swarm of bees or flock of birds.

    Programmable materials promise an amazing world of new conveniences. For example, to save space and wear and tear on furniture, a dinner table could be changed to a poker table for a party and then into a bed at night. And to put more reality in Skype video calls, a hologram resembling the caller could be created with real flesh-like touch possibilities.

    When can we expect this future? McCarthy believes, though there could be surprises, with determined efforts, all of these wonders could be available by decade's end.

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.