Website review: The Programmable Matter (TM) Corpor...

ellipsis42 ellipsis42 discovered this in Physics 3 reviews since Jan 18, 2006
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ellipsis42 discovered 31 months ago
Concept Summary: Quantum Dots, nanoscale sandwiches of semiconductor that hold a standing wave, can theoretically be made to display atom-like behavior. Which atoms? Vary the voltage. Thus, matter can be programmed to display the properties of many different materials at the flip of a switch. Make a thread of quantom dots, weave millions of them together, and you have what they call Wellstone - a programmable block of material. There are limitations, yes, impracticalities galore, but programmable matter holds promises hidden and obvious that just might change the world.
danger359 rated 29 months ago
Programmable Matter Thanks to http://ellipsis42.stumbleupon.com/ for this great link. Let me quote from his summary since I can do no better:
    "Concept Summary: Quantum Dots, nanoscale sandwiches of semiconductor that hold a standing wave, can theoretically be made to display atom-like behavior. Which atoms? Vary the voltage. Thus, matter can be programmed to display the properties of many different materials at the flip of a switch. Make a thread of quantom dots, weave millions of them together, and you have what they call Wellstone - a programmable block of material. There are limitations, yes, impracticalities galore, but programmable matter holds promises hidden and obvious that just might change the world."
Learn More The best online reference for lay readers is "Ultimate Alchemy," a 7,000-word article from WIRED magazine available (minus the pictures) at: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.10/atoms.html. Offline lay-references include Richard Turton's THE QUANTUM DOT: A Journey into the Future of Microelectronics (Oxford University Press, 1996, ISBN 0-195-10959-7). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0195109597. an d Wil McCarthy's HACKING MATTER: Levitating Chairs, Quantum Mirages, and the Infinite Weirdness of Programmable Atoms (Basic Books, 2003, ISBN 0-465-04429-8). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/046504428X. Fo r serious theoreticians, Paul Harrison's Quantum Wells, Wires, and Dots (Wiley, 2000, ISBN 0-471-98495-7) provides equations and computer code for estimating the behavior of confined electrons. --------------------- Another approach to programmable matter A "Claytronic atom", or "catom", is a nano-scale object, covered with electromagnets capable of attaching the catom to other catoms. LEDs, and photo-sensors on the surface complete the picture (no pun intended). A suitably programmed ensemble of catoms could dynamically replicate just about any object - even a person. Some have called it "dynamic physical rendering". Whatever you call it, the technology is probably a decade off (famous last words). Carnegie Mellon University researchers Seth Goldstein and Todd Mowry lead the small, DARPA and industry-backed research team that is investigating the engineering of these devices. References Synthetic Reality (CMU Group) Presentation at IC Fall 2004 (.pdf)
tl8177 rated 30 months ago
Programmable fibres!
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