Programmable matter is a new technology that is to transform how we do manufacturing, product design, and even what we put in our homes. At its base, programmable matter is made up of materials that can change their physical properties — that includes shape, density, or conductivity — at a moment’s notice via software.
Think of a single item that is able to reconfigure itself to be a chair, a table, or a lamp with the issue of a command. While it may seem out of this world, research in this field is growing at great speed and may in fact redefine what is possible in material science and engineering.
What Is Programmable Matter?
Programmable matter made up of small components or “modules” that reconfigure to take on different forms and functions. These modules may be based in robotics (as in claytronics), smart materials, or nanotech. We have the idea of a material that at a molecular or structural level, can rearrange itself in response to external input like light, magnetic fields, or electric current.
For instance, materials that have been integrated with microactuators and sensors will change their form or rigidity as a result of user input or environmental changes. This in turn, will produce a new group of products that no longer are of fixed form but are in fact dynamic and adaptive.
Revolutionizing Manufacturing
In the field of manufacturing, we may see very large results from the introduction of programmable matter. Presently, manufacturing uses molds, machining, and material removal or assembly. But with programmable matte,r we see the ability to produce and then produce again without the input of new raw materials or tools. This may in fact see a great reduction in waste, lower in overall production costs, and speed up the prototyping process.
Also, what we see is that customisation will become a real time affair. A single programmed element will be made to order as per the user’s requirements at any given time. In the automotive and aerospace fields among others, components will do the assembling and repair which in turn will raise the bar for resilience and lower maintenance costs.
Transforming Design and Creativity
For designers, the field of play that programmable matter provides is very wide. We can see designers working at digital rather then physical prototypes, they present and test material changes before going to production. In fashion design we see the development of clothing that changes with weather or that shifts look for different events. Also in interior design we see the creation of which furniture pieces may be altered to best fit the dynamic needs of that room.
This issue of dynamic interaction between design and material we see as a platform for entirely new aesthetics which in turn will present forms that are ever changing and functions that adapt. Design breaks free from the constraints of traditional materials and shapes.
Challenges Ahead
Despite what it promises, the field of programmable matter is still very much in the early stages. We are still working out the kinks in which I can put together reliable, scalable modules that see large-scale use. Issues of energy efficiency, control systems, and materials’ longevity are at the fore. Also, we have issues of safety, regulation, and what is and isn’t ethical which plays into how we use these materials in very public or very private settings.
