for six hours straight.

它花了我整整六個小時

This is slave labor to my own project.

根本就是件苦差事

This is what the DIY and maker movements really look like.

這正是 DIY 組裝和工人實際作業的模樣

And this is an analogy for today's construction and manufacturing world

這也表現出現今建造業與製造業

with brute-force assembly techniques.

仰賴著如蠻力般的組裝技術

And this is exactly why I started studying

而這正是我為何開始研究

how to program physical materials to build themselves.

如何讓實體物質自我組裝

But there is another world.

但其實還有個全然不同的領域

Today at the micro- and nanoscales,

如今在微米、甚至是奈米的層級下

there's an unprecedented revolution happening.

正進行著前所未有的革命

And this is the ability to program physical and biological materials

而這也使我們有辦法設計物理及生物材料

to change shape, change properties

讓這些材料可以改變其形體與特性

and even compute outside of silicon-based matter.

甚至矽基以外的物質也有可能辦到

There's even a software called cadnano

現在甚至還有一套名為 cadnano 的軟體

that allows us to design three-dimensional shapes

讓我們能設計 3D 形體

like nano robots or drug delivery systems

像是奈米機器人或是藥物制放系統

and use DNA to self-assemble those functional structures.

又或是運用 DNA 去自我組裝出具有功能的構造

But if we look at the human scale,

但如果應用在人類大小的層級中

there's massive problems that aren't being addressed

會有個很大的問題

by those nanoscale technologies.

是奈米科技還未能解決的

If we look at construction and manufacturing,

放眼建造業及製造業

there's major inefficiencies, energy consumption

盡是低效率、耗能

and excessive labor techniques.

和過度仰賴勞力的技術

In infrastructure, let's just take one example.

讓我們看個基礎設施的例子

Take piping.

以水利運輸系統為例

In water pipes, we have fixed-capacity water pipes

以水管來說，都是固定容量、流速的管子

that have fixed flow rates, except for expensive pumps and valves.

外加昂貴的泵和水閥

We bury them in the ground.

我們把水管埋在地下

If anything changes -- if the environment changes,

但如果有任何變動，像是環境變遷

the ground moves, or demand changes --

地殼移動、或是需求改變

we have to start from scratch and take them out and replace them.

我們就得挖出所有管線，並換上新的水管

So I'd like to propose that we can combine those two worlds,

因此我建議將兩者結合

that we can combine the world of the nanoscale programmable adaptive materials

將可編制的奈米級適性材料

and the built environment.

與人工環境做結合

And I don't mean automated machines.

但我指的不是自動化設備

I don't just mean smart machines that replace humans.

也不是要用智能化設備來取代人力

But I mean programmable materials that build themselves.

我指的是讓可編制的材料去自我建構

And that's called self-assembly,

這就叫做自我組裝

which is a process by which disordered parts build an ordered structure

這個過程就是讓一堆混亂的零組件組裝成一個有組織的架構

through only local interaction.

僅僅藉由零組件的局部交互作用進行

So what do we need if we want to do this at the human scale?

如果我們打算運用在人類層級中，還需要些什麼呢?

We need a few simple ingredients.

我們需要一些簡單的概念

The first ingredient is materials and geometry,

首要概念就是材料和幾何原理

and that needs to be tightly coupled with the energy source.

這些需要和能源緊密結合

And you can use passive energy --

我們可以使用被動式能源

so heat, shaking, pneumatics, gravity, magnetics.

像熱能、震動、氣動能、重力、磁力等

And then you need smartly designed interactions.

然後我們需要巧妙地設計這當中的交互作用

And those interactions allow for error correction,

而這些交互作用還要能被錯誤修正

and they allow the shapes to go from one state to another state.

這些交互作用還可以讓物體從一種形態轉換到另一種形態

So now I'm going to show you a number of projects that we've built,

現在要展示的是我們之前做的一些專案

from one-dimensional, two-dimensional, three-dimensional

當中包括一維、二維、三維

and even four-dimensional systems.

甚至還有四維的系統

So in one-dimensional systems --

在一維系統裡

this is a project called the self-folding proteins.

這裡有個名為「自我摺疊的蛋白質」的專案

And the idea is that you take the three-dimensional structure of a protein --

概念就是利用蛋白質的 3D 結構

in this case it's the crambin protein --

這裡我們用「花菜蛋白」來說明

you take the backbone -- so no cross-linking, no environmental interactions --

以該蛋白主鏈來看（沒有交叉鏈結也沒有環境交互作用干擾）

and you break that down into a series of components.

把它分解成一系列的元素零件

And then we embed elastic.

然後置入彈性這個特性

And when I throw this up into the air and catch it,

當我把它丟到半空中，然後接住

it has the full three-dimensional structure of the protein, all of the intricacies.

它就有了花菜蛋白完整的三維結構和蛋白質複雜的特性

And this gives us a tangible model

這項實體實驗表現出

of the three-dimensional protein and how it folds

三維蛋白質和其摺疊的過程

and all of the intricacies of the geometry.

也表現出其中複雜的幾何特性

So we can study this as a physical, intuitive model.

我們可以利用這樣的實際模型來做研究

And we're also translating that into two-dimensional systems --

以此類推應用在二維系統裡

so flat sheets that can self-fold into three-dimensional structures.

讓平版結構可以自我摺疊成三維立體的結構

In three dimensions, we did a project last year at TEDGlobal

去年在 TED Global 展示了一個三維系統的專案

with Autodesk and Arthur Olson

是我們和 Autodesk 及 Arthur Olson 一起合作完成

where we looked at autonomous parts --

在這個案子我們研究獨立運作的組件

so individual parts not pre-connected that can come together on their own.

如何能透過獨自的力量從完全分離的狀況組接完成

And we built 500 of these glass beakers.

另外我們做了五百個用作示範的錐形瓶

They had different molecular structures inside

裡面代表不同的分子構造

and different colors that could be mixed and matched.

這些構造還有不同的顏色可以讓我們去搭配

And we gave them away to all the TEDsters.

然後我們把錐形瓶給了所有的 TED 觀眾

And so these became intuitive models

這些模型幫助我們

to understand how molecular self-assembly works at the human scale.

以巨觀的角度理解分子自我組成的方式

This is the polio virus.

這是小兒麻痺症病毒（脊髓灰質炎病毒）

You shake it hard and it breaks apart.

經過劇烈搖晃之後會分裂

And then you shake it randomly

接著隨意搖晃瓶子

and it starts to error correct and built the structure on its own.

病毒模型就會開始修正錯誤並進行自我組裝

And this is demonstrating that through random energy,

這證實了我們能以不定的能量

we can build non-random shapes.

組成規則的形狀

We even demonstrated that we can do this at a much larger scale.

我們甚至可以擴大自我組裝的應用規模

Last year at TED Long Beach,

例如去年的 TED Long Beach

we built an installation that builds installations.

我們製造了一個可以製造其他設備的裝置

The idea was, could we self-assemble furniture-scale objects?

我們的概念是：像家具般大小的物體能不能自我組裝呢?

So we built a large rotating chamber,

因此我們做了一間巨大的滾動室

and people would come up and spin the chamber faster or slower,

大家可以或快或慢隨意地搖動它

adding energy to the system

提供能量給這座滾動室

and getting an intuitive understanding of how self-assembly works

進而理解自我組裝的過程

and how we could use this

以及我們如何把自我組裝應用在

as a macroscale construction or manufacturing technique for products.

大規模建造業及製造業的生產技術

So remember, I said 4D.

還記得我剛剛提到的四維

So today for the first time, we're unveiling a new project,

今天我們要開啟一項嶄新的專案

which is a collaboration with Stratasys,

是和 Stratasys 公司合作開發

and it's called 4D printing.

一項叫做 4D 輸出的技術

The idea behind 4D printing

4D 輸出的概念就是

is that you take multi-material 3D printing --

我們選用各式的材料去做 3D 輸出

so you can deposit multiple materials --

藉著放入各式不同的材料

and you add a new capability,

再置入新的功能

which is transformation,

也就是轉型

that right off the bed,

造成根本改變

the parts can transform from one shape to another shape directly on their own.

這些組件可以自己直接從一個型態轉型成另一個型態

And this is like robotics without wires or motors.

這概念好比是不用接電線和馬達的機器人

So you completely print this part,

你可以完整列印出這些零組件

and it can transform into something else.

然後它們可以轉型成別的構造

We also worked with Autodesk on a software they're developing called Project Cyborg.

我們也和 Autodesk 合作一個名為 Project Cyborg 的軟體

And this allows us to simulate this self-assembly behavior

可以用來模擬自我組裝的形式

and try to optimize which parts are folding when.

試著去操縱使各個組件在對的時間做摺疊

But most importantly, we can use this same software

最重要的是我們可以用這個軟體

for the design of nanoscale self-assembly systems

來研製奈米級的自我組裝系統

and human scale self-assembly systems.

以及人體規格的自我組裝系統

These are parts being printed with multi-material properties.

這些要被列印的零組件原料會有各式物質的特性

Here's the first demonstration.

這裡是第一個範例

A single strand dipped in water

將一條單鍊浸入水中

that completely self-folds on its own

它會自我摺疊

into the letters M I T.

然後變成了 MIT

I'm biased.

我這是老王賣瓜

This is another part, single strand, dipped in a bigger tank

另一個例子也是將一個單鍊浸入更大的水箱中

that self-folds into a cube, a three-dimensional structure, on its own.

它會自我摺疊成一個 3D 架構的立方體

So no human interaction.

完全沒有外力介入

And we think this is the first time

這是第一次

that a program and transformation

有人將編程設計與轉型的概念

has been embedded directly into the materials themselves.

直接置入到物質本身

And it also might just be the manufacturing technique

這也可以是一項製造技術

that allows us to produce more adaptive infrastructure in the future.

讓我們在未來可以建造出更適性的基礎建設

So I know you're probably thinking,

我想大家可能會想說

okay, that's cool, but how do we use any of this stuff for the built environment?

好吧！這是滿酷的！但我們如何應用它們呢?

So I've started a lab at MIT,

因此我在麻省理工學院開啟了一個實驗室

and it's called the Self-Assembly Lab.

名為「自我組裝實驗室」

And we're dedicated to trying to develop programmable materials

我們致力於發展可被編製的材質

for the built environment.

以應用在人工環境上

And we think there's a few key sectors

我們認為這當中有幾項重點

that have fairly near-term applications.

可以立即應用上的

One of those is in extreme environments.

其中一項就是在極端環境裡的應用

These are scenarios where it's difficult to build,

這些例子顯示出某些艱難的環境

our current construction techniques don't work,

是以我們目前的建造技術所無法克服的

it's too large, it's too dangerous, it's expensive, too many parts.

它可能太大、太危險、太昂貴、太多零件

And space is a great example of that.

外太空就是一個很好的例子

We're trying to design new scenarios for space

我們想要設計一個應用於外太空的方案

that have fully reconfigurable and self-assembly structures

是一個可重新編置且自我組裝的構造

that can go from highly functional systems from one to another.

可以從一個功能系統轉為另一種功能的系統

Let's go back to infrastructure.

我們回到先前基礎建設的例子

In infrastructure, we're working with a company out of Boston called Geosyntec.

我們和一家名為 Geosyntec 的波士頓公司合作

And we're developing a new paradigm for piping.

一起開發一套全新的水力管線的配置

Imagine if water pipes could expand or contract

試想如果我們可以讓水管擴張或收縮

to change capacity or change flow rate,

用以改變容量或流速

or maybe even undulate like peristaltics to move the water themselves.

或是讓水自行呈波浪型向前蠕動

So this isn't expensive pumps or valves.

如此就和使用昂貴的泵和閥的系統是截然不同的

This is a completely programmable and adaptive pipe on its own.

而是是一套可編製跟適應環境的水管系統

So I want to remind you today

所以我今天要告訴大家

of the harsh realities of assembly in our world.

在今日組裝上仍存在實際困難的環境裡

These are complex things built with complex parts

有著由複雜的零件所組成的複雜物品

that come together in complex ways.

用複雜的方式組織起來

So I would like to invite you from whatever industry you're from

所以不論你來自哪個行業領域我希望大家能加入我們

to join us in reinventing and reimagining the world,

和我們一起重新創造、重新想像這個世界

how things come together from the nanoscale to the human scale,

如何讓奈米層級的微等級擴及到人類世界的尺度

so that we can go from a world like this

所以我們可以讓現在的世界

to a world that's more like this.

變成這樣的世界(圖)

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

(掌聲)