Programmable matter? Recyclable 3D printing. Eventually perhaps, Transformers like Optimus Prime, if you will.
The current prototypes are about six centimeters long and have electromagnets embedded in each of their 12 edges. Add a microcontroller and integrated circuits that allow you to regulate the direction current passes through the electromagnets, and you can get the ElectroVoxels to attract or repel each other in sufficiently sophisticated ways to allow pivots around a shared axis and transversal across the face of another ElectroVoxel.
That could be useful for nonstandard tools, or to rearrange mass for spinning motions to initiate a form of artificial gravity via centrifugal force, or to place mass between you and a dangerous solar flare. “We’re working on miniaturizing these modules in order to get a little bit smaller, and you want to build hundreds of thousands of these that can do reconfiguration in order to enable a kind of recyclable 3D printing,” Nisser told me.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What it means to be counted: MIT art project aims to capture Ogden’s vocal diversityThe art project, called 'A Counting,' invites people to call in and count to 100 in their native language. Ogden is one of five cities in the nation to participate.
Read more »
Prominent biologist David Sabatini out at MIT after breaching sexual relationship policyDavid Sabatini, the high-profile biologist who was forced out of the Whitehead Institute in summer 2021 after a probe found he violated its sexual harassment policies, has resigned his tenured professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Read more »
Magnetic slime 'robot' could help recover swallowed objects | EngadgetScientists have developed a magnetic, self-healing slime 'robot' that could grab objects in your stomach..
Read more »
Axiom Space to launch first-ever private mission to ISS: 'The beginning of many beginnings'Axiom Space Executive Chairman Kam Ghaffarian discusses the company's goals as it sets out to build the first private commercial space station.
Read more »
A new greenhouse in Spain can generate solar power with no harmful gasesThe Solar Greenhouse built by architecture students, generates more energy than it consumes while growing plants.
Read more »
Ikea stores to pay customers for used furnitureOnly Ikea furniture that is “fully assembled and fully functional” will be accepted.
Read more »