Towards Autonomous Architected Materials with Metamechanotronics

ABSTRACT:

In this talk, I introduce the new field of “metamechanotronics” by coupling the engineering fields of mechanical metamaterials, digital electronics and nano energy harvesting. I will discuss the mechanisms, fabrication processes and computational frameworks required to create a novel class of active and multifunctional architected materials called cognitive mechanical metamaterials under the metamechanotronics concept. Cognitive mechanical metamaterials can offer a range of advanced functionalities including sensing, energy harvesting, digital computation, and information storage for various engineering and medical applications. These metamaterial systems use their constituent components to achieve new functionalities, without a need for external power sources or additional electronics. Thus, they establish a direct interaction mechanism between the external environment and electronics, which is a radically different approach from the conventional electrically-controlled logic units. Incorporating all of these functionalities into the fabric of materials could in theory lay the foundation for autonomous architected materials that respond to their environment and self-monitor their condition. I will explain how insights into the mechanics, design, and implementation of the scale-independent metamechanotronic patterns can be shared among disciplines ranging from micro/nano-electromechanical systems to large-scale civil structures.

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Amir H. Alavi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Pitt, Dr. Alavi was an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Missouri. Dr. Alavi is the director of the Pitt’s iSMaRT Laboratory, which focuses on integrating sensing, energy harvesting, material, and computational technologies to build a new generation of multifunctional structural health monitoring systems. His multidisciplinary research involves creating the knowledge and technology required to create multifunctional architected material and structural systems with advanced functionalities for a broad range of sensing and monitoring applications. Dr. Alavi has authored 8 books and near 200 publications in archival journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. He has received a number of award certificates for his journal articles. He is among the Google Scholar 200 Most Cited Authors in Civil Engineering, Web of Science ESI's World Top 1% Scientific Minds in 2018, and Stanford University list of Top 1% Scientists in the World in 2019 and 2020.