3D-Printed Metamaterials That Think While They Transform

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Most objects are built for just one purpose. A chair stays a chair, a table stays a table, and if you want something that changes shape, you'll usually need motors, hinges, wiring, and a fair amount of mechanical complexity. Researchers at MIT believe there is a better way. They have developed a new type of 3D-printed mechanical metamaterial that can be rearranged into many different forms while automatically sensing its own shape.

The system, called Bifur-circuits, combines mechanical and electrical functionality into the same modular building blocks. Each piece snaps together with the next, creating structures that can be stretched, compressed, twisted, or reconfigured without losing their electrical connections. Because the conductive pathways are built directly into the printed parts, the finished object always knows which configuration it is in without requiring external wiring between modules.

Connector blocks activate a unique circuit between modules (📷: M. AlAlawi et al.)

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