Robotic Morphing Matter as Materialized AI

Morphing Matter are physical materials that are transformable, adaptive and autonomous. They are programmable or pre-programmable with inherent sensing, actuating and computational behaviors across scales from the nano to macro. Situating Morphing Matter in the present, It is materialized AI that makes conventional computers disappear and computation weaves itself into the fabric of everyday life - the ultimate dream of ubiquitous computing envisioned by Mark Weiser. These material systems can be leveraged to design soft robots, self-assembling furniture, adaptive fabrics, and self-folding foods. In this talk, Lining presents the recent works in the Morphing Matter Lab, Human-Computer Interaction Institute of School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University and highlights several robotic morphing materials that weave advanced manufacturing, computational tools, and design thinking. Her team believes that the term “robotics” does not only refer to conventional robotic forms and controls but also connects to the artifacts’ abilities to make decisions, adapt, move, and respond to different stimuli. More information from the lab site: https://morphingmatter.cs.cmu.edu/