Can you imagine when the phrase “one size fits all” actually becomes real?
Well, it just did.
Smart material was definitely up there in the lists of a couple of Harvard and MIT researchers. They’d devised a programmable matter that folded itself into different shapes.
Looking like a piece of napkin, this thin sheet was connected through a series of triangular sections that could fold itself into a boat or an airplane – all without human intervention.
How it was accomplished was by triggering the right actuators (motorized switches) in a proper sequence, leading the triangular sections to fold themselves against each other, forming the desired shape.
The researchers first devised this “smart” material with adjustable cups and an all-purpose tool in mind. This hypothetical “cup” could change itself according to the amount of liquid contained, and the all-purpose tool could form into tools ranging from wrenches to tripods based on user preferences or circumstances.
Interestingly enough, the team came up with the folding algorithm by consulting traditional origami books. The instructions provided by these books became the foundation on which researchers determined where the creases should be.
As for the folding itself, the origami robot didn’t even require the users to do any programming. Instead, just by simply placing a set of stickers in their appropriate places, the sheet would fold itself according to the plan, and seal itself through the help of magnets.
Although only two shapes can be achieved at this moment, the potential that “smart” material demonstrated is promising.
Swarming Micro Air Vehicle Network
When disaster strikes in many cases, not only is there a shortage of food, fresh water, even the most basic communication infrastructures are severely compromised. This poses serious problem for rescue teams, emergency responses, and search missions.
Before, the only solution besides sending out rations of food and water is to build emergency towers to compensate for the loss of communication. However, that is both costly and time consuming, potentially placing people’s lives in danger.
This is where Swarming Micro Air Vehicle (SMAVNET) comes in.
The system was developed by the Ecole Polytechnic Federale Lausanne in Switzerland, and was to be used in the exact situation we’ve described at the beginning of this article. SMAVNET is a fleet of lightweight robots and software equipped with wireless capabilities to foster communications.
In detail, these flying robots navigate by autopilot which manages its’ altitude, airspeed, and turn rate. A single motor propels the robots in the air, and three separate sensors including a gyroscope and pressure sensors prevent the unit from rolling in the air or behaving erratically in turbulences.
The wireless communication equipments on-board of the SMAVNETs reacts and detects the presence of other robots in the air, which effectively prevents them from colliding into each other. The wireless communication also allows rescuers bounce off communication signals off of them.
When the bots are positioned in an area where no infrastructures are supporting communication, they act as extensions to further communication signals.
If implemented correctly, these flying robots could prove life-saving.
思創生活/Dan Lee
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