Materials that couple sensing, actuation, computation, and communication

Abstract

Tightly integrating sensing, actuation, and computation into composites could enable a new generation of truly smart material systems that can change their appearance and shape autonomously. Applications for such materials include airfoils that change their aerodynamic profile, vehicles with camouflage abilities, bridges that detect and repair damage, or robotic skins and prosthetics with a realistic sense of touch. Although integrating sensors and actuators into composites is becoming increasingly common, the opportunities afforded by embedded computation have only been marginally explored. Here, the key challenge is the gap between the continuous physics of materials and the discrete mathematics of computation. Bridging this gap requires a fundamental understanding of the constituents of such robotic materials and the distributed algorithms and controls that make these structures smart.

Untethered soft robotics

“…In some cases, soft robot intelligence and autonomy can be aided by 'morphological computing' , in which signals are processed mechanically through elastic deformation, acoustics or other physical material responses 136,137 . A simple example is the way that a 'universal' granular jamming actuator 138 autonomously deforms and adapts to the shape of a 3D object -a task that, for a highly articulated piecewise rigid robotic system, would require considerable sensing and digital processing.…”

Simple or Complex Bodies? Trade-offs in Exploiting Body Morphology for Control

“…Appropriate, "cheap", designs lead to simpler control structures, and eventually can lead to technology that is cheap in a monetary sense and thus more likely to impact on practical applications. Yet, a lot of research in design, simulation and fabrication is needed (see [30,32,46] for reviews).…”

“…Online changes of morphology (like changes of stiffness or shape) thus constitute another tough technological challenge (see also project LOCOMORPH [1]). Completely new, distributed control algorithms that rely on self-organizing properties of complex bodies and local distributed control units will need to be developed [32,44].…”

Introduction to the inaugural issue of the Journal of Reliable Intelligent Environments

“…Given systems in this area are given the responsibility of looking after the well-being of (often vulnerable) humans, the processes applied to develop them should be more thoroughly investigated. -Clothes and materials Smart materials will become the next computing platform for IEs with novel opportunities for sensing and actuation [41] -Interconnected everyday objects The internet of things (IOT) and RFID technology allow every object to become annotated data for an IE [53]. Applications range from retail to monitoring of production chains, and prevention of forgery of medications.…”