SWARM OF MICROSYSTEM PARTICLES FORMULTI-AXIAL MORPHOGENIC RAPID PROTOTYPING

摘要

Standard rapid prototyping is usually performed via layered manufacturing techniques in which growth of thernobject usually follows an axis predetermined by the CAD model and the preferred direction of manufacture.rnThis paper presents the theoretical foundations and preliminary experimental results for a new 3D constructionrntechnique based on primitive elements. This Multi-Axial Morphogenic (M.A.M.) Rapid Prototyping techniquerninvolves a swarm of intelligent, mobile, partially autonomous particles (chunxels) that can assemble intornarbitrary, but pre-determined, three-dimensional shapes. A host computer tracks assembly progress and, throughrnwireless communications, broadcasts shape specifications and assembly status to the chunxels. In addition to therntheoretical foundations, a computer simulation of the control algorithms for particle behavior, as well asrnpreliminary experimental results are presented.