Programmable matter represents a system of elements whose interactions can be programmed for a certain behavior to emerge (e.g. color, shape) upon suitable commands (e.g., instruction, stimuli) by altering its physical characteristics. Even though its appellation may refer to a morphable physical material, programmable matter has been represented through several approaches from different perspectives (e.g., robots, smart materials) that seek the same objective: controllable behavior such as smart shape alteration. Researchers, engineers, and artists have expressed interest in the development of smart modeling clay as a novel alternative to conventional matter and classical means of prototyping. Henceforth, users will be able to do/undo/redo forms based on computed data (CAD) or interactions (sensors), which will help them unlock more features and increase the usefulness of their products. However, with such a promising technology, many challenges need to be addressed, as programmable matter relies on energy consumption, data transmission, stimuli control, and shape formation mechanisms. Furthermore, numerous devices and technologies are created under the name of programmable matter, which may pose ambiguity to the control strategies. In this study, we determine the basic operations required to form a shape, then review different realizations using the shape shifting ability of programmable matter, their fitting classifications, and finally discuss potential challenges.

可编程物质代表一个元素系统，其交互可以通过改变其物理特性来编程，以在适当的命令（例如指令、刺激）下出现某种行为（例如颜色、形状）。尽管它的名称可能指的是可变形的物理材料，但可编程物质已经通过从不同角度（例如机器人、智能材料）的几种方法来表示，这些方法寻求相同的目标：可控行为，例如智能形状改变。研究人员、工程师和艺术家对开发智能粘土模型表示了兴趣，将其作为传统物质和经典原型制作方法的新颖替代品。今后，用户将能够基于计算数据 (CAD) 或交互（传感器）执行/撤消/重做表单，这将帮助他们解锁更多功能并提高产品的实用性。然而，对于这样一项有前途的技术，需要解决许多挑战，因为可编程物质依赖于能量消耗、数据传输、刺激控制和形状形成机制。此外，许多设备和技术是以可编程物质的名义创建的，这可能会给控制策略带来模糊性。在本研究中，我们确定形成形状所需的基本操作，然后回顾利用可编程物质的形状变换能力的不同实现、它们的拟合分类，最后讨论潜在的挑战。