DARPA Program Brings Sci-Fi Capability to Warfighters

摘要

Moviegoers were captivated as they watched a villain turn to liquid before assuming new forms capable of squeezing through narrow openings in the film "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) were wowed, too, and they're now working to deliver that same kind of technology to support warfighters on the battlefield.rnMitchell R. Zakin, Program Manager for DARPA's Programmable Matter division, is convinced the concept depicted for decades in blockbuster movies and comic books has real-life applications. Zakin is leading the effort to develop "programmable matter," which he calls "the ultimate adaptable material." It will be capable of changing size and shape and taking on new properties for one use, he explained, then adapting to a whole different form for another use.