Periodic Reporting for period 2 - COgITOR (A new COlloidal cybernetIc sysTem tOwaRds 2030)
Période du rapport: 2022-12-01 au 2024-11-30
COgITOR project aims at developing a liquid state cybernetic system prototype, capable of sensing the external environment, of performing simple calculations on the data received by its liquid sensors, and of generating some energy for its own operation. No other autonomous systems exist, made out of liquid state materials. Why is this important? Because a liquid can easily withstand extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, pressures, magnetic fields, and operate where other common robotic technologies fail. Furthermore, the new frontier of liquid electronics offers unexplored domains, new exciting discoveries, and potential applications for the society. The overall objectives are: i) realizing a liquid state pressure sensor that will be placed on the outer skin of the prototype; ii) realizing a liquid state rewritable memory; iii) realizing a liquid state energy harvester to power the system; iv) integrate all of these parts in a single spherical system.
During the 42 months of activity, the consortium has achieved the following progresses: 1) a measurement system to assess the capability of liquids to respond to electrical stimulation, with a broad band resolution. A dedicated integrated circuit for extracting holonomic features from the colloids 2) We have discovered a protocol for implementation of learning in several liquid systems via a programmable propagation of conductive pathways. Logic gates in colloids were mined and the demonstration of a rudimentary arithmetic logic unit was performed. Extremely promising results on reservoir computing in colloid systems were achieved, including the demonstration of in memory computing, of liquid analogue memory, of liquid state artificial recurrent neural network, and liquid state artificial synapses. 3) Alternative energy supply in the soft cybernetic system was explored with the idea of inducing the conversion of light into heat directly in the liquid phase, avoiding solid interfaces, and to exploit with a mixed composition the resulting thermal gradient into electrical power. By adapting thermogalvanic materials to our scopes, an energy generation capability as high as 1 mW/K has been demonstrated, over the typical surface areas of the final prototype. 4) A great evolution in the synthesis of self-healing polymers for the fabrication of containment skins, and the first prototype of COgITOR truncated icosahedron were achieved. A technological roadmap to shape the skins, to host the pressure sensor, the energy harvesting gels, create the metal electrodes on the inner surface of the sphere, and encase the holonomic chip for the final demonstrator, was settled. A specific composition of the soft skin, allowing room temperature self-healing, has generated a record of invention case and a potential new patent. 5) The discovery of room temperature, non-local effects of probable quantum origin in colloids, which represents by itself a game changing discovery, is under referral and opens a scenario of profound innovation not only in soft robotics, but also in biology, considering that many biological fluids are colloids.
The progresses achieved encompass the discovery of outstanding properties in the computational capabilities of colloids, the demonstration of thermogalvanic systems able to support our technology, the synthesis of several types of nanoparticles including a new material – bismuth ferrite, and the functional self-healing materials we have developed. Until the end of the project we expect to shape the soft case into the final truncated icosahedron, to directly print the pressure sensors on its surface and integrate the energy harvesting modular devices, and to finally insert the custom chip developed, and finally fill in with the memory and computing liquid. The system will be then tested for interference, fault-tolerance and submitted to an extreme environment simulation chamber. Potential impacts include: the commercialization of the newly formulated bismuth ferrite, the introduction of a novel computing platform for extreme environments, the commercialization of a room temperature self-healing coating/polymer and the introduction of a new standard for testing alimentary liquids, by exploiting our microwave impedance spectroscopy system.