welcome

CLAYTRONICS

ABOUT THE PROJECT … Started in 2005. This project being conducted in Carnegie Mellon University with the support from Intel aims to create programmable matter. The project team led by Professors Todd C. Mowry, Seth Goldstein includes researchers from Intel Labs Pittsburgh. Estimated arrival by 2017.

introduction Project combining the modular robotics , nanotechnology & computer science to create the 3-d display of electronic information the research focuses on 2 main projcts 1) creating the basic building block of claytronics known as claytronic atom (catoms) 2) designing & writing s\w program

Contd….. The catoms will be sub millimeter computers that will have ability to move around, communicate with each other, change color and electro statically connect to other catoms to form different shapes It’s the same concept as modular robotics, only on a smaller scale.

Role of Moore's law. This promise of claytronic technology has become possible because of the ever increasing speeds of computer processing predicted in Moore’s law.

Capabilities of catoms Computation Motion Power Communication

Scaling and design principles Four basic design principles : Each atom should be self contained. No static power should be required for adhesion after attachment. Coordination should be performed via local control. Catoms should contain no moving parts.

Depending on the scaling principles there are three regimes of catoms. Properties Macro Micro Nano Dimensions > 1cm >1 mm < 10 microns Weight 10’s of grams 100’s of mg < 1 mg Power < 2 watts 10’s of mW 10’s of nW Locomotive mechanism Programmable magnets Electrostatics Aerosol Adhesion mechanism Magnets Programmable Nanofibers adhesives Molecular surface adhesion, covalent bonds Manufacturing methods Conventional Nano fabrication Chemically directed self assembly Resolution Low High Cost $$$/catom $/catom Millicent/ catom

Claytronics hardware The basic hardware of a claytronic atom comprises of: CPU energy source network device video output device one or more sensors mechanism for adhering to other catoms

CURRENT STATUS OF RESEARCH Current stage of design: Claytronics hardware operates from macro scale designs with devices much larger than the tiny modular robots such devices are designed to test concept for sub- millimeter catoms and effects of physical and electic force on them

Different types of catoms. The major types of catoms are: Planar catoms Electro static latches Stochastic catoms Giant helium catoms

Planar catoms.

The prototype that is most like what developers hope catoms will become is the planar catom. These take the form of 44 mm diameter cylinders. These cylinders are equipped with 24 electromagnets arranged in a series of stacked rings along the cylinder’s circumference. Movement is achieved by the catoms cooperatively enabling and disabling the magnets in order to roll along each other’s surfaces. Only one magnet on each catom is energized at a time.

Electro static latches A new system of binding and releasing the connection between modular robots, a connection that creates motion and transfers power and data while employing a small factor of a powerful force.

Giant helium catoms

Software research Software research is a tedious process. Organizing the communication and actions between millions of catoms require development in algorithms and programming languages. The major goal of claytronics matrix is to form 3d shapes. Matrix software must actuate the constant change in locations of catoms.

Programming languages Researchers have created two new languages called MELD and LDP MELD: Meld is a declarative language designed for programming overlay networks. By using this the code for an ensemble of robots can be written from a global perspective.

This dramatically simplifies the thought process for programming the movement of a claytronics matrix. LDP ( Locally Distributed Predictions): A program that addresses a fixed-size module. This allows programmers to operate the claytronic matrix more frequently and efficiently.

Dynamic simulation of ensembles. Visualizing the Invisible While Realizing the Unreal As a first step in developing software to program catoms, the team created DPR-simulator. Simulator create a world in which catoms take on the characteristics that researches wish to observe.

Applications Revolution in Communication Claytronics could transform communication, entertainment, medicine and more. Two Dimensional One Dimensional Three Dimensional

CONTD. One of the primary goals of claytronics is to form the basis for a new media type, PARIO. Pario the logical extension of audio and video, is a media type used to reproduce moving 3D objects in the real world. When this goal is achieved we will be able to create an environment called synthetic reality. pario

CONTD 2. Shape Shifting Furniture! Helps users to carry around a lump of catoms that can reshape in to any object . Shape Shifting Furniture! Change the shape of furniture and the wall paintings according to preferences from time to time

CONTD 3. Would enable to work remotely in physical hostile environments. They are of great use in disaster relief. It may help scientists learn how to efficiently manage networks of millions of computers. It will also advance our understanding of nanotechnology.

Future design 3D movement of catoms. Catoms will be able to emit variable colour and intensity of light, allowing for dynamic physical rendering. Onboard battery sufficient to power catoms will exceed the size of the catom itself, so an alternate energy solution is desired.

Research is being done into powering all of the catoms in an ensemble, utilizing the catom-to-catom contact as a means of energy transport. Develop a unary connector for the catoms in order to keep reconfiguration time at a minimum. Nanofibers provide a possible solution to this challenge.

conclusion

Many challenges need to be resolved before bringing this technology to real world. The hardware aspect of this technology deals with making the crude and tiny robots to move and configure. The software aspect is still highly staggering. It concerns with controlling the movements of minute catoms and programming these millions to work together. Still, claytronics is a promising field of engineering.

references 1.Electronics For You journal: November 2009 issue. 2.Carnegie Mellon University official site: www.cs.cmu.edu 3. www.wikipedia.com 4. www.google.co.in 5. Images form : images.google.co.in and www.cs.cmu.edu.