by which I mean, engineered modules that cooperate with

我的意思是，工程模塊，配合的是

each other to form shapes.

彼此形成形狀。

You could reach in and pull out some object you needed,

你可以伸手進去，掏出一些你需要的物件。

like a wrench or a coffee cup,

如扳手或咖啡杯。

And then when you were done with it, you could put it

然後，當你完成了它，你可以把它。

back into the bag, and it would break apart and its modules

袋子裡，它就會碎裂，其模塊也會碎裂。

would be available to form the next object that you needed.

將可形成下一個你需要的對象。

So, biology provides the inspiration that this is, in fact, possible.

所以，生物學提供了這樣的啟發：事實上，這是可能的。

This is a simulation by my colleague Jonathan Bachrach,

這是我的同事Jonathan Bachrach的模擬。

showing a mechanical protein folding itself into several objects.

展示了一個機械蛋白質自身摺疊成幾個物體的過程。

This is a chain of engineered modules, and each module

這是一條工程模塊鏈，每個模塊都是

has a motor that can exert a force on its joint.

有一個電機，可以對其關節施加力。

By setting the angle on each joint, it's possible to fold the representation of any shape.

通過設置每個關節的角度，它可以摺疊任何形狀的表現。

Although, in practice I think you'd want to have lots of these chains

雖然，在實踐中，我認為你'想有很多這樣的鏈子。

working together, just like biology does it.

一起工作，就像生物一樣。

We had a grant from DARPA to build a prototype of this,

我們得到了DARPA的資助，建立了一個原型。

and the grant had a requirement that the modules be smaller

贈款有一項要求，即模塊必須較小

than one cubic centimeter. And, because we wanted to

超過一立方厘米。而且，因為我們想

make a lot of these modules, we wanted the modules to be

做了很多這樣的模塊，我們希望這些模塊能夠是

cheap and simple, and so we decided to not use gearing,

便宜又簡單，所以我們決定不使用齒輪。

just to have the motor directly drive each axis.

只是為了讓電機直接驅動各軸。

We looked, but we couldn't find any off-the-shelf motors

我們找過了，但我們找不到任何現成的馬達。

that were small enough, and could exert enough continuous force,

足夠小，並能施加足夠的持續力。

without burning themselves out.

而不至於把自己燒死。

So we invented a new type of motor, which we call

所以我們發明了一種新型的馬達，我們稱之為

an electropermanent motor.

電永動機；

This motor works by using coils to remagnetize its permanent magnets

該電機的工作原理是利用線圈使其永久磁鐵再磁化。

all the way around their hysteresis loops on every step.

一直圍繞著他們的磁滯環的每一步。

What this means is, when you remove power, the device holds its position,

這意味著，當你移除電源時，設備會保持其位置。

and it can exert its maximum force with very low average power input.

並且它可以在很低的平均功率輸入下發揮最大的力量。

Once we had the motor working, we designed the rest of

一旦我們有了電機的工作，我們就設計了剩下的部分

the mechanical protein. It's basically a chain of motor rotors and stators,

的機械蛋白。它基本上是一個電機轉子和定子的鏈條。

the rotating part and the stationary parts — interlocked together,

旋轉部分和靜止部分--互鎖在一起。

with a flexible circuit wrapped around it for power and control.

並在其上纏繞柔性電路，用於供電和控制。

We had to learn watchmaking techniques to build the prototypes, which was fun.

我們必須學習製表技術來製作原型，這很有趣。

So, here's a video, probably taken at about 2am, of the

所以，這裡有一段視頻，可能是在凌晨2點左右拍攝的。

first module turning in a pair of scissors on my desk.

第一模塊在我的辦公桌上翻出一把剪刀。

You'll see the coiled portion of the flexible circuit coiling and uncoiling

您將看到柔性電路的卷繞部分和解卷部分。

to connect the module to its neighbor; it took us a while to get that right.

來連接模塊和它的鄰居；我們花了點時間才弄好。

And then once we had one module working we made four more;

然後一旦我們有一個模塊的工作，我們做了四個更多。

here is a chain forming shapes.  It starts out as a line, and then it forms:

這裡是一個連鎖的形狀。 開始是一條線，然後形成。

a left handed helix

左旋

a right handed helix

右旋

a periscope

潛望鏡

and an L-shape.

和L型。

Every module gets its instructions to turn left, right, or straight;

每個模塊都會得到向左、向右或直行的指令。

that's like the DNA code for the shape,

那'就像形狀的DNA密碼。

and then the motors fold the chain up into the shape.

然後電機將鏈條摺疊成形狀。

The motors are strong enough to lift one other segment, which is OK, it works,

電機的功率足夠大，還能提升一個段位，這還算可以，能用。

but to have performance on par with geared systems,

但要有與齒輪系統相當的性能。

we'd like to be able to lift 2-3 other modules,

我們'希望能夠提升其他2-3個模塊。

which we think we can get to with a lighter structure and with better materials.

我們認為我們可以用更輕的結構和更好的材料來達到這個目的。

Still, as far as we know this is the highest resolution

不過，據我們所知，這是最高分辨率的。

chain-type programmable matter system built to date.

鏈式程控物質系統建成至今。

We started this project with a vision of programmable matter,

我們是帶著對可編程物質的憧憬開始這個項目的。

but we ended up inventing a motor that can hold its position without power.

但我們最終還是發明了一種沒有動力也能保持其位置的電機。

We're still working on programmable matter, of course,

當然，我們'還在研究可編程物質。

but working with our industrial partners, we've discovered

但與我們的工業合作伙伴合作，我們發現了以下幾點

that there are a lot of applications for such a small, low-power motor,

這種小型、低功率的電機有很多應用。

in aerospace and medical applications, and so we're working with them now

在航空航天和醫療領域的應用，所以我們現在正與他們合作。

to push this technology out into the world.

以將這項技術推向世界。