Jamming Granular Materials

Project Members: John Amend

This project approaches programmable matter with the idea that jammed granular materials can be exploited to control the material properties of a physical object. Programmable matter describes a futuristic form of matter that would have the ability to transition from its current shape into any desired shape. This transition would occur on command, under the matter’s own power, and would be completely reversible. Jamming is a unique property of granular materials that causes them to exhibit a fluid-like to solid-like phase transition without a change in temperature. When grains are loosely combined, they yield under shear stress (like a fluid); if they are packed together, they jam in position and resist applied stresses (like a solid).

The images above show a truss structure assembled from beams of granular materials.  The image on the left shows the jammed configuration, where the beams behave like solid members.  The image on the right shows the un-jammed configuration, where the beams have more fluidic properties.  We are currently working to create complex structures with controllable material properties based on this behavior.