Researchers at Intel try their hand at shape-shifting materials
What do you get when active imaginations, nanotechnology and mad scientists come together? At Intel, you get Claytronics, or Dynamic Physical Rendering (DPR). The project, which first started at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), aims to create nanobots (or catoms--claytronics atoms) that will come together and take whatever physical form you want them to.
Imagine--you'll be able to go from tattered t-shirt to tuxedo in the snap of a finger. Your fancy car could disguise itself as a tree to prevent theft, and you could change the decor of your living room on a whim. It's like nature, only programmable.
Sadly, even the creators admit that this one is really, really far into the future. In the meanwhile, you can download this really awesome "future ad" [MOV, 10 MB WMV here] that was cooked up by CMU's Entertainment Technology Centre.
Source:Intel
Imagine--you'll be able to go from tattered t-shirt to tuxedo in the snap of a finger. Your fancy car could disguise itself as a tree to prevent theft, and you could change the decor of your living room on a whim. It's like nature, only programmable.