Y-Pod Technology

A Dozen Actuation Modalities

A Dozen Functionalities

Actuation
Electricity, Electromagnetism, Solenoid, Hydraulic Fluid, Radiation, Light, Lasers, Gears, Heat, Motors, Electro active Springs, Chemicals, Electro Active Polymers, Smart Materials

Functionality
Changes shape, snaps back, conducts electricity, pumps fluids, generates electricity, radiates energy, stores electricity, stores energy, collapses, self-erects with the flip of a switch, changes color, focuses radiation, generates artificial gravity, transmits energy, wireless actuation.

DARPA Solicitation

In 2001 a meeting was arranged with Dr. Alvin Swimmer who had been invited by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to appear with 200 national scientists at the symposium for Scientists Helping America after the attack on September 11, 2001. An abstract of his proposal on the amazing potential for the Y-Pod assembly system is presented below.

By Dr. Alvin Swimmer, Professor of Mathematics, Arizona State University

This patented design element that can be utilized for building devices and machines on all scales ranging from the molecular (e.g. NEMS and MEMS) to the gigantic (e.g. spaced based antennae). It can also be used as the fundamental component for weaving hybrid materials that can change shape, color and electrical properties.

Using this architecture we can easily construct models of all five of the regular Platonic solids as well as most other polyhedrons. Hence we can mimic and utilize the common assembly rules applied by nature to form structures as diverse as crystals, proteins, viruses, cells, tissues, muscles, bones, animal and humans. All matter, both organic and inorganic, is formed from the same basic elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon. The architecture can be fashioned into delivery systems to mix and supply such elements. The system can be shaped into tensegrities which are mechanically stable. These systems can be transported as flat packages and then remotely activated to assume and remain in any requisite constant or varying shape when arriving at a desired location either in space, on earth or under water.

Following is a short list of some immediately applicable structures that can be built from this architecture:

A collapsible, rapid deployment shelter with stealth detection capabilities.
A tunable full collapsible and re deployable communications antennae.
Microscopic electro-mechanical machines for a variety of technical and bio-medical applications.
A “smart fabric” with specific or changeable color, thermal and electrical characteristics.
Communications systems embedded within the smart fabric listed in 4.
Aeronet for an anti-ballistic missile defense system.
Sandnet for mine and booby trap detection.
Molecular modeling.
Radar invisible weapons systems.
Chemical mixing and delivery system.