RoboMate: Engineering a Novel Programmable Matter System

Applications are invited for a PhD position in "Programmable Matter". This position will be based in the School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science of the University of Liverpool and will be jointly supervised by Dr. Othon Michail (Computer Science), Dr. Luis Esteban (Electrical Engineering and Electronics), and Dr. Paolo Paoletti (Mechanical Engineering).

Programmable matter refers to any type of matter that can algorithmically change its physical properties, e.g., its shape. We typically think of the material as consisting of tiny modules (molecular, electromagnetic, electrostatic, mechanical, or a combination) which maintain their global coherence and by moving relative to each other (and in general through their combined actuation) they are able to achieve non-trivial global dynamics (e.g., transform the global shape in desired ways). “Algorithmically” means that the change (or transformation) is the result of the modules implementing a set of well-defined underlying rules which determine the dynamics of the system. These rules can be incorporated in various ways, like by combining the physical properties of the material with custom microelectronics.

The goal of this project is to investigate potential novel designs for shape-transforming programmable matter and to engineer a new programmable matter system that will improve the state-of-the-art along the following main lines: small module size, reconfiguration flexibility, coherence, and algorithmic control.

In order to achieve the project objectives, research shall be carried out in a combination of various intertwined lines, including the following:
• Investigate what are the best engineering solutions to create minimum size actuators (e.g., electrostatic), capable of moving the different modules and, thus, transforming the material as a whole. Innovation might be required in designing the modules and integrating the electronics and actuators.
• Investigate the interplay between transformation algorithms and the transformation effectiveness and efficiency of the material implementing them.
• Investigate what are the best solutions to implement in hardware the algorithms handling the transformations. The electronics require a careful and creative design focused on optimising power consumption and size.

The student will be supervised by an interdisciplinary team and this will give them the opportunity to interact with academics from CS, EEE, and Mechanical Engineering in order to form a global perspective. This PhD project will involve a strong collaboration between Universities in and outside Europe, Research Centres, and Industry. In particular, it is anticipated that this project will be implemented in close collaboration with the Virtual Engineering Centre at Daresbury, the Leverhulme Centre for Functional Material Design at the University of Liverpool, and the NeST initiative of the CS Department.

Qualifications
Candidates should have completed a BSc degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related field, and have basic programming skills. Holding an MSc in one of the areas closely related to this project is optional. Experience in writing VHDL/Verilog, some understanding of dynamic systems, and some experience in robotics are highly desirable.