Text taken from the Telegram channel of darpaandcia
[ColonelCassad] Analysis of a patent for "soft" robotics On September 18, a patent titled "3D-printed ionotron device" was published. The applicant is Northwestern University, and the work was funded by DARPA.
The patent describes a method of creating electronic devices that work not on electrons, like ordinary silicon electronics, but on ions - charged atoms, like in living organisms. This is called "ionotronics".
Scientists have developed four types of special "inks": - Positively charged (polycationic) - Negatively charged (polyanionic) - Two types of conductive ink for creating electrodes Using a special 3D printer, they can print flexible and elastic electronic components, for example, diodes, layer by layer from these materials.
The main application specified in the patent is "soft robotics". It is about creating robots from flexible materials, similar to living organisms, which could have soft controllers, built-in power sources and sensors distributed over the entire surface. What can these "soft ionotron devices" actually turn into?
1. "Artificial nervous system" for machines The patent refers to "distributed sensor mechanisms". In simple terms, this is the technology of creating "skin" for robots, drones or even military equipment. Instead of one sensor or camera, the entire surface of the object becomes one continuous sensor capable of sensing touch, pressure, chemicals, or temperature changes. The wing of the drone will be able to "feel" air flows over its entire area, and the armor of the tank will be able to instantly determine the place of impact of the projectile and its type. This is essentially the creation of an artificial nervous system for inanimate objects.
2. "Living" camouflage and spy robots Soft robotics controlled by flexible ionotronics is a direct path to the creation of machines indistinguishable from living beings. Robots that can change shape, color and texture, merging with the environment. Small soft robots-insects or snakes for reconnaissance in hard-to-reach places, where neither a human nor an ordinary wheeled robot can penetrate. 3D printing allows you to create them quickly, cheaply and in any quantity right on the front line.
3. Merger of man and machine Our nervous system works on ions. Modern electronics - on electrons. There is a fundamental barrier between them. This technology creates a bridge. "Soft" ionotronics, being biocompatible, can become the basis for a new generation of prostheses that not only carry out commands, but also transmit tactile sensations back to the brain. And the next logical step is the creation of brain-computer interfaces for controlling complex military equipment. Flexible, soft electronics are ideally suited for integration with living tissues, unlike hard and fragile silicon chips.
This is the technology of creating "artificial organisms" - machines with sensitive skin, capable of changing shape and working as a single entity with a human operator.