The Programmable World

Kenny Taylor

Campbell, Thomas A., Skylar Tibbits, and Banning Garrett. "The Programmable World." Scientific American Nov. 2014: 61-65. Web.

The Programmable World is written by several scientists who have been working on solving problems with devices that assemble themselves or can change shape or use automatically or remotely. Skylar Tibbits, a research scientist at MIT, has been trying to build machines without the conventional tools: wires, motors or electronics. His devices are printed as flat rectangles, but change shape when they touch water. These types of objects are referred to as being “4-D printed” because after they are printed in three dimensions, they change over time (the fourth dimension). Christopher Williams, a scientist at Virginia Tech, has figured out a way to print circuits onto 4-D objects. These can be used to send a signal that changes the shape of the object. He envisions this idea eventually being used in anything from robots that ­­fix themselves to self-assembling buildings! Thomas Campbell, also from Virginia Tech, has figured out a way to insert nanomaterials (materials which have properties that affect things on a small scale) and objects into 3-D printed designs. Once attached, the nanomaterials can then be used to change the shape or use of the object.

4-D printing is interesting to me because it could really change my everyday life. For instance, airplane wings that change shape with different weather conditions would make planes safer. If someone loses their keys, they can print more. Right now the authors can do things like print 4-D models of their schools’ logos, but things like machines that repair themselves are not yet ready. Also, programmable objects could also be hacked and taken over by people who want to be destructive. This means that while 4-D printing could be very useful, it could bring a new set of problems as well. Whether mainly good or bad, 4-D printing will change the world I grow up in and I am excited to see what develops.

The authors talk about many possible uses of 4-D printing. They do not explain, however, why shape changing plastics are better than, say, a robot that uses motors and electricity to self-assemble. In other words, they do not look at the cons: plastics are weak materials that have low melting points.