programmable matter. questions programmable matter (pm): what is it, and what does that have to do...
TRANSCRIPT
Programmable Matter
Questions
Programmable Matter (PM): What is it, and what does that have to do with nanotechnology?
What are some real examples? What are some proposed examples? Why should I care?
Definition
Programmable Matter: A smart material which has some physical properties adjustable in a programmable fashion; material with inherent memory or processing.
What it isn't
water changing states in response to temperature
isn't programmable. movie screen
appears to have adjustable optical properties based on optical inputs, but it's just reflecting.
quartz really does have electrically adjustable shape,
but no memory or processing.
Is this Nanotech?
First define nanotech "made of molecules" isn't enough to qualify!
Weak definition: nanoscale features. (<100nm) chemistry, surface physics, thin films, ultrafine
powders, advanced microscopy Original definition: "we can arrange the atoms
the way we want; the very atoms, all the way down!"
Feynman
Hall's Stages of Nanotech
I merely nanoscale features and microscopy.
II bottom-up self assembly. (in labs today)
III nanoscale assemblers using expensive precursor molecules. (like ribosomes/amino acids)
IV assemblers make the precursor molecules from common molecules. (much cheaper)
V general capability; the very atoms, all the way down!
Shape Memory Materials
Shapes are programmable; Has inherent memory.
examples Nitinol Polymers
thermal optical electric
Nanotechnology
Programmable Materials
engine
Electronic Visual Displays
Active (emitters) cathodoluminescence
CRT, FED, VFD, SED
electroluminescence EL, LED, OLED,
GDD photoluminescence
PDP
Passive (modulators) LCD E-ink
Electrophoresis Electrowetting
Electrochromism Mechanical
modulation DMD, IMOD
Artificial Atoms
bypass the island of stability new branch of chemistry
2d periodic table for flat atoms
ideal example clearly programmable matter clearly nanotech in labs today!
Stable natural elements are Stable natural elements are limited to 92 electron limited to 92 electron states.states.Artificial atoms can have Artificial atoms can have hundreds, even thousands,hundreds, even thousands,making today's periodicmaking today's periodictable look puny.table look puny.
--Wil McCarthy,--Wil McCarthy,Ultimate AlchemyUltimate Alchemy
Clarke's Laws
When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right; when he states that something is impossible, he is probably wrong.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
The Drexler/Smalley Debate
Are assemblers possible?
Fat and sticky fingers strawman
Not in a million years! parallelism
Self-replication broadcast
Smalley’s dilemma no water required
Miss the target diamondoid
You're scaring our children!
And you're lying to them!
mechanosynthesis
debate
Phased-array Optics (PAO)
Phased array radar exists today. so no doubt this works in principle.
PAO is scaled down for visible wavelengths. Applications
Realistic animated holograms Ultra-high bandwidth communications Super-accurate laser weapons
fusion power
Quantum Wellstone Fiber
A proposed application of artificial atoms. stud nanofibers with these wells, so the
artificial atoms can better interact. fibers have high surface area ratio.
stage II nanotech, minimum. colloidal dots could self-attach full dimension tuning (size, shape, number)
takes addressable elements, probably stage III. Bonds are weak, so mechanical properties are
probably uninteresting optical, magnetic, and electrical properties are
another story.
Claytronics
Solid-state "catoms" prototypes are in labs today, but are either
bulky or only 2-dimentional. high resolution (small) catoms will be nanotech.
crude 3-D claytronics are expected within the decade, but will improve quickly due to miniaturization trends (Moore's Law).
3D catom simulation
Discovery feature
Utility Fog
Similar function to claytronics, but far more powerful
Foglets have are more complex than catoms stage IV. Maybe 20 years away.
Blurs the line separating virtual reality from reality.
a fog-avatar isn't a real person but a fog-chair really is a chair...
"You [Drexler]"You [Drexler] and people aroundand people around you have scaredyou have scared our children."our children."
--Richard E.--Richard E. SmalleySmalley
"You [Drexler]"You [Drexler] and people aroundand people around you have scaredyou have scared our children."our children."
--Richard E.--Richard E. SmalleySmalley
Applications and Implications
nanoforge: the ultimate PM if assemblers are possible, they are inevitable.
you're scaring our children! stage IV+ nanotech is more dangerous than
nuclear weapons. ninja fleas, case in point. Gray goo is not even
required.
and you're lying to them! allegory of the B-29
"The resulting abilities "The resulting abilities will be so powerful that,will be so powerful that, in a competitive world,in a competitive world, failure to develop molecularfailure to develop molecular manufacturing would bemanufacturing would be equivalent to unilateralequivalent to unilateral disarmament."disarmament."
--K. Eric Drexler--K. Eric Drexler
"The resulting abilities "The resulting abilities will be so powerful that,will be so powerful that, in a competitive world,in a competitive world, failure to develop molecularfailure to develop molecular manufacturing would bemanufacturing would be equivalent to unilateralequivalent to unilateral disarmament."disarmament."
--K. Eric Drexler--K. Eric Drexler