4D Printing

Self-Assembly & Programmable Matter

Julie Dunbar
Road Map
 Definitions
 Programmable Matter
 The Claytronics Project (Catoms)
 The Self-Assembly Project
 Biomolecular Self Assembly
 Skylar Tibbits
 4D Printing
 Technologies Used
 Future of 4D Printing
 Discussion
Definitions
 4D Printing – Taking a 3D printed object and adding
the ability of transformation by embedding a
program directly into the materials themselves.
 Self-Assembly – a process by which disordered parts
build an ordered structure through only local action.
 Programmable Matter – matter that has the ability to
change its physical properties in a programmable
fashion, based upon user input or autonomous
sensing.
Programmable Matter
 High-volume nanoscale assembly.
 Ability to inexpensively produce millimeter-scale units that
integrate computing, sensing, actuation, and locomotion
mechanisms.
 A collection of these nanoscale units is programmable
matter.
The Claytronics Project
 Carnegie Mellon University & Intel Research of Pittsburgh
 Investigating ways to create a physical artifact using programmable
matter that will eventually be able to mimic the original object’s
shape, movement, visual appearance, sound, and tactile qualities.
 Catoms (Claytronic Atoms)
 Catoms can
 Move in three dimensions in relation to other catoms.
 Adhere to other catoms to maintain a 3D shape.
 Communicate with other catoms in an ensemble.
 Compute state information with possible assistance from other
catoms in the ensemble.
Ideal Catoms
 A unit with a CPU, a network device, a single-pixel display,
one or more sensors, a means of locomotion, and a
mechanism for adhering to other catoms.
Catom Prototype
 44 mm Catom Prototype:

 24 electromagnets arranged in a pair of stacked rings.

 To move, a pair of catoms in contact with one another pair must
appropriately energize the next set of magnets along each of their
circumferences.
 100 ms to make a one-step move.
The Self-Assembly Project
 Partnered with AutoDesk to represent biomolecular
self-assembly at the human scale.
 Beakers filled with red, black, or white parts that will
transform into a unique molecule when energy is
applied.
 Biomolecular Self-Assembly
 3 Parts:
 Geometry – shape of each unit in a complete system.
 Attraction – each unit has patterns of elements that attract through positive and negative
interactions which provide auto-alignment.
 Energy – proper amount of energy to enable interactions to be made and to form a
complete assembly.
Biomolecular Self-Assembly…
 Polio Virus

Step 1 Step 2 Result

Skylar Tibbits
 Researcher & Architect Professor at MIT
 Founded the Self-Assembly Lab at MIT
 Focuses on developing programmable materials for the human
scale world.
 Developing 4D Printing
 Programmable Matter
 Self Assembly
4D Printing
 “The ability to program physical and biological materials to
change shape, change properties, and compute outside of
silicon based matter.”
-SkylarTibbits

 Goal: Take nano/biomolecular self-assembly and apply to

human scale in order to build infrastructure more efficiently.
Technologies Used - Autodesk

 CAD program for designing 3D structures with the ability to transform.

Technologies Used - AutoDesk
 Project Cyborg - a cloud-based meta-platform of design tools for
programming matter across domains and scales. Domains range
from nanoparticle design to tissue engineering, to self-assembling
human-scale manufacturing.
Project Cyborg
Future Use

 Expanding/Contracting Water Pipes (Geo Syntec)

 Large scale construction in extreme environments
Discussion & Questions
References

 http://www.autodeskresearch.com/projects/4dprinting
 http://www.autodeskresearch.com/groups/nano
 http://bioselfassembly.net/
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gMCZFHv9v8
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programmable_matter#.22Simple.22_programmable_
matter
 http://origin-www.computer.org.navigator-
iup.passhe.edu/csdl/mags/co/2005/06/r6099.pdf
 http://origin-www.computer.org.navigator-
iup.passhe.edu/csdl/proceedings/icqnm/2008/3085/00/3085a028.pdf