Flexible, Light-Interacting, B-Shaped Structures for Computations

Abstract

Integrating mechanical computing functions into robotic materials, microelectromechanical systems, or soft robotics can improve their intelligence in stimulation–response processes. Current mechanical computing systems exhibit limitations, including incomplete functions, unchangeable computing rules, difficulties in realizing random logic, and lack of reusability. To overcome these limitations, we propose a straightforward method of designing mechanical computing systems—based on the logic expressions—for complex computations. We designed soft, B-shaped mechanical metamaterial units, and compressed them to render stress inputs; the outputs are represented by the light-shielding effects caused by the unit deformations. We realized logic gates and corresponding combinations (including half/full binary adder/subtractor and addition/subtraction of 2 numbers with multiple bits) and provided a versatile solution for making a mechanical analog-to-digital converter to generate both ordered and disordered numbers. We performed all of the computations within the elastic regions of the B-shaped units; thus, after one computation, the systems can return to the initial states for reuse. The proposed mechanical computers will potentially enable robotic materials, microelectromechanical systems, or soft robotics to perform complex tasks. Furthermore, one can extend this concept to systems that are based on other mechanisms or materials.