A DARPA project is trying to develop "programmable matter" that can be ordered to "self-assemble or alter their shape, perform a function and then disassemble themselves." One day, that could lead to "morphing aircraft and ground vehicles, uniforms that can alter themselves to be comfortable in any climate, and 'soft' robots that flow like mercury through small openings to enter caves and bunker complexes." A soldier could even reach into a can of unformed goop, and order up a custom-made tool or a "universal spare part."
Intel, which has done a bunch of programmable matter work on its own, is looking beyond those basic steps. Way, way beyond. The malleable stuff could one day "mimic the shape and appearance of a person or object being imaged in real time, and as the originals moved, so would their replicas," according to their website. "These 3D models would be physical entities, not holograms. You could touch them and interact with them, just as if the originals were in the room with you. "
The complete article is available at http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/06/universal-rubiks-cube-could-become-pentagon-shapeshifter
And of course you know that any technology that DARPA develops for our military will inevitably end up in the private sector. That's how we got the Internet and GPS satellites.
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