1. Claytronics
By Braeden diaz

2. Systems Nano Technology
What are claytronics?
Claytronics is an abstract future concept that combines nanoscale robotics and computer science to create individual nanoscaled computers called claytronic atoms, or catoms.
Claytronics is a form of programmable matter that is able form tangible 3D objects that can interact with each other or that a user can interact with.
Modular Robotics
Computer Science
Systems Nano Technology

3. Programmable Matter (Fundamental concept)
Programmable matter is where the claytronic atoms or “catoms” combine to create the micro or nano scale structures which also can combine to form the shapes of the physical entities called claytronics.
Nanoscale Computer
Basic unit
Catom
Biggest Challenge
Self Assembly of Catoms

4. Research Objectives
Claytronics technology is currently being researched by Professor Seth Goldstein and Professor Todd C. Mowry at Carnegie Mellon University, which is where the term was coined.
The goal is to create claytronic atoms or catoms that will have the ability to change their shape, density, moduli, conductivity, optical properties, etc. in a programmable fashion based upon user input or instructions from software algorithms.

5. Real Life Application

6. Current Research Status
5 Main Catom Prototypes:
In todays research claytronic hardware is simulated from macro scale prototypes that are much larger than the tiny modular robots that set the goals of this engineering research.
Such prototypes are designed to test concepts for sub-millimeter scale modules and to test the effects of the physical and electrical forces that affect Nano scale robots.
Planar Catoms
Electrostatic Latches
Stochastic Catoms
Giant Helium Catoms
Cube Catoms

7. Current Research cont.
The researchers and engineers of Carnegie Mellon-Intel Claytronics Research Lab are already developing the necessary software that is needed to facilitate the communication and transfer of data between catoms in a claytronic matrix.
The Carnegie Mellon-Intel Claytronics Research Project has created two new programming languages: Meld and Locally Distributed Predicates (LDP).

8. Current Research cont.

9. Conclusion (future research)
In the current design of first generation catoms, they are only able to move in two dimensions relative to each other. However, future catoms will need to be able to move in three dimensions relative to each other.
Another thing that these catoms will need to be able to do is to emit multiple colors and intensities of light for dynamic physical representation.
As catoms are scaled down more into the nanoscale range, the onboard batteries in the catoms will exceed the size of the catoms themselves thus becoming insufficient.
On the software side of things, there is going to be a need for advanced algorithms and programming languages in order to organize and keep track of all the communication and actions between the millions of nanoscale catoms.

10. bibliography
Carnegie Mellon University official site:
Academic Peer Reviewed Journals (Online PDFs):