Branching out into computation: using singularities to design mechanical logic*

Recently there has been a resurgence in the development of non-traditional computing using unconventional systems such as coupled oscillators, ferromagnetic droplets, and additively manufactured metamaterials. Because of advantages related to specific applications, our goal is to use soft elastic materials to realize an unconventional computer utilizing mechanical instabilities. To design a soft elastic network that performs computations, we create wires, transistors, and logic gates that exploit the singularities of linkages and mechanical structures. By analyzing specific linkages as a stepping off point, we generalize the process of designing logic components in ideal linkages. To better understand the role of the finite elasticity seen in our experimental logic gates, we introduce simple computational models to capture experiments and explore their effect on the functionality of mechanical logic.