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Consider the problem of planning collision-free motion of $n$ objects in the plane movable through contact with a robot that can autonomously translate in the plane and that can move a maximum of $m \leq n$ objects simultaneously. This…
The rapid progress in precisely designing the surface decoration of patchy colloidal particles offers a new, yet unexperienced freedom to create building entities for larger, more complex structures in soft matter systems. However, it is…
Assembly of large scale structural systems in space is understood as critical to serving applications that cannot be deployed from a single launch. Recent literature proposes the use of discrete modular structures for in-space assembly and…
We introduce a system of light driven microscopic autonomous moving particles that move on a flat surface. The design is simple, yet effective: Micrometer sized objects with wedge shape are produced by photopolymerization, they are covered…
Collective guidance of out-of-equilibrium systems without using external fields is a challenge of paramount importance in active matter, ranging from bacterial colonies to swarms of self-propelled particles. Designing strategies to guide…
Amphiphilic molecules spontaneously form self-assembly structures based on physical conditions such as molecular structure, concentration, and temperature. These structures exhibit various useful functions according to their morphology. The…
Data-driven machine learning methods have the potential to dramatically accelerate the rate of materials design over conventional human-guided approaches. These methods would help identify or, in the case of generative models, even create…
We consider the problem of performing parameter and state inference in a state-space model (SSM) parametrized by a static parameter $\theta$. A popular idea to address this problem consists of incorporating $\theta$ in the state of the…
We present an innovative robotic device designed to provide controlled motion for studying active matter. Motion is driven by an internal vibrator powered by a small rechargeable battery. The system integrates acoustic and magnetic sensors…
Imagine we want to split a group of agents into teams in the most \emph{efficient} way, considering that each agent has their own preferences about their teammates. This scenario is modeled by the extensively studied \textsc{Coalition…
An emerging theme across many domains of science and engineering is materials that change shape, often dramatically. Determining their structure involves solving a shape optimization problem where a given energy functional is minimized with…
Recent advancements in microbiology have motivated the study of the production of nanostructures with applications such as biomedical computing and molecular robotics. One way to construct these structures is to construct branched DNA…
Self-organization creates new order and shifts sub-boundaries while reorganizing energy and entropy within a control volume. This article examines pathway selection and tests whether maximizing the entropy generation rate can forecast…
Shape formation is one of the most thoroughly studied problems in programmable matter and swarm robotics. However, in many models, the class of shapes that can be formed is highly restricted due to the particles' limited memory. In the…
In order to keep their cohesiveness during locomotion gregarious animals must make collective decisions. Many species boast complex societies with multiple levels of communities. A common case is when two dominant levels exist, one…
We propose a novel approach to the analysis of programmable geometrically exact shear deformable beam systems made of shape memory polymers. The proposed method combines the viscoelastic Generalized Maxwell model with the Williams, Landel…
A microscopic, stochastic, minimal model for collective and cohesive motion of identical self-propelled particles is introduced. Even though the particles interact strictly locally in a very noisy manner, we show that cohesion can be…
In this paper, we address the problem of manipulating multi-particle aggregates using a bimanual robotic system. Our approach enables the autonomous transport of dispersed particles through a series of shaping and pushing actions using…
Both biological and artificial self-assembly processes can take place by a range of different schemes, from the successive addition of identical building blocks, to hierarchical sequences of intermediates, all the way to the fully…
Active matter systems being in a non-equilibrium state, exhibit complex behaviors such as self-organization and giving rise to emergent phenomena. There are many examples of active particles with biological origins, including bacteria and…