Catarina Mota: Play with smart materials

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Morton Bast

譯者: Taiho Huang 審譯者: Chengrui Wang

I have a friend in Portugal

我在葡萄牙有位朋友

whose grandfather built a vehicle out of a bicycle

他的祖父將腳踏車和洗衣機改裝成腳踏車

and a washing machine so he could transport his family.

以便載送家人

He did it because he couldn't afford a car,

他這麼做既是因為沒錢買車

but also because he knew how to build one.

也是因為他知道如何改裝

There was a time when we understood how things worked

人類曾經知道東西是如何運作的

and how they were made, so we could build and repair them,

如何做成的，我們知道如何建造與修理

or at the very least

至少

make informed decisions about what to buy.

清楚地知道我們要買什麼

Many of these do-it-yourself practices

許多DIY的技術

were lost in the second half of the 20th century.

自二十世紀下半葉起開始失傳

But now, the maker community and the open-source model

但現在，生產社群以及開放模型

are bringing this kind of knowledge about how things work

正將東西的運作及其原料等知識

and what they're made of back into our lives,

逐漸帶回我們的生活中

and I believe we need to take them to the next level,

而我相信我們應該更進一步

to the components things are made of.

去認識組成這些東西的零件

For the most part, we still know

我們大多還知道

what traditional materials like paper and textiles are made of

紙和紡織品等傳統原料是由什麼製成的

and how they are produced.

又是如何生產的

But now we have these amazing, futuristic composites --

但我們現在有了這些令人驚嘆又有未來感的複合材料

plastics that change shape,

像是伸縮自如的塑膠

paints that conduct electricity,

能導電的漆料

pigments that change color, fabrics that light up.

能變換顏色的顏料，和會發光的布等

Let me show you some examples.

我給大家看些例子

So conductive ink allows us to paint circuits

導電油墨讓我們不需要用傳統印刷電路或電線

instead of using the traditional

用傳統印刷電路或電線

printed circuit boards or wires.

而可以直接油漆電路

In the case of this little example I'm holding,

以我手上拿著的這個小東西為例

we used it to create a touch sensor that reacts to my skin

導電油墨可以製成觸控感應器，當它感應我的皮膚時

by turning on this little light.

這盞小燈就會亮起

Conductive ink has been used by artists,

藝術家早已在用導電油墨

but recent developments indicate that we will soon be able

但最近的研究顯示，不久後

to use it in laser printers and pens.

我們將能將它用在雷射印表機和筆上面

And this is a sheet of acrylic infused

這塊丙烯酸纖維附滿了

with colorless light-diffusing particles.

無色的散光粒子

What this means is that, while regular acrylic

意思就是，普通的丙烯酸纖維

only diffuses light around the edges,

只會在邊緣散光

this one illuminates across the entire surface

但這塊纖維在我開燈的時候

when I turn on the lights around it.

整個表面都會發光

Two of the known applications for this material

這類材質的應用目前已知有二

include interior design and multi-touch systems.

一是內部設計，一是多點觸控系統

And thermochromic pigments

熱變色顏料

change color at a given temperature.

則會在特定溫度下變色

So I'm going to place this on a hot plate

所以我現在把這個東西放在熱的盤子上

that is set to a temperature only slightly higher than ambient

這個盤子的溫度比室溫稍微高一點

and you can see what happens.

你們馬上就能看到結果了

So one of the principle applications for this material

這項材料主要的應用

is, amongst other things, in baby bottles,

是在嬰兒奶瓶上

so it indicates when the contents are cool enough to drink.

它能顯示內容物是否涼了可以喝了

So these are just a few of what are commonly known

以上只是一些我們俗稱為

as smart materials.

智慧型材料的例子

In a few years, they will be in many of the objects

再過幾年，這些材料就會成為我們日常生活中

and technologies we use on a daily basis.

常用物品和科技的基本要素

We may not yet have the flying cars science fiction promised us,

我們可能還沒辦法擁有科幻小說中會出現的飛天汽車

but we can have walls that change color

但我們會有能隨著溫度改變顏色的

depending on temperature,

牆壁

keyboards that roll up,

可以捲起來的鍵盤

and windows that become opaque at the flick of a switch.

一關就能變不透明的窗戶

So I'm a social scientist by training,

我本身是社會科學家

so why am I here today talking about smart materials?

所以我到底為什麼要來這裡講智慧型材料呢？

Well first of all, because I am a maker.

首先，因為我是個製造者

I'm curious about how things work

我對東西的運作感到好奇

and how they are made,

想知道它們是如何製成的

but also because I believe we should have a deeper understanding

但同時也是因為我相信我們應該要更了解

of the components that make up our world,

建構出我們這個世界的一切

and right now, we don't know enough about

而現今，我們對這些將建構我們未來的

these high-tech composites our future will be made of.

高科技的複合材料不夠瞭解

Smart materials are hard to obtain in small quantities.

智慧型材料難以在少量下取得

There's barely any information available on how to use them,

而目前也幾乎沒有任何有關如何使用這些材料的資料

and very little is said about how they are produced.

它們是如何製成的資訊更是少之又少

So for now, they exist mostly in this realm

所以目前，它們幾乎都是

of trade secrets and patents

商業機密或是有專利保護

only universities and corporations have access to.

只有大學和公司能夠取得

So a little over three years ago, Kirsty Boyle and I

因此在大約三年多前，我和克絲蒂

started a project we called Open Materials.

著手進行一項我們稱之為材料公開化的計劃

It's a website where we,

在這個網站中，我們

and anyone else who wants to join us,

以及任何想要加入的人

share experiments, publish information,

都可以分享實驗成果，發表資料

encourage others to contribute whenever they can,

希望能鼓勵大家隨時分享所長

and aggregate resources such as research papers

並收集一些資源，像是其他像我們一樣身為製作者的

and tutorials by other makers like ourselves.

研究報告或是使用說明書

We would like it to become a large,

我們期望這個網站能發展成為一個

collectively generated database

以智慧型材料DIY資訊為主題的

of do-it-yourself information on smart materials.

集體創作大型資料庫

But why should we care

不過為什麼我們應該要關心

how smart materials work and what they are made of?

智慧型材料的運作方式以及組成呢？

First of all, because we can't shape what we don't understand,

首先，因為我們不能控制自己不了解的東西

and what we don't understand and use

而我們不了解卻在使用的東西

ends up shaping us.

常反而控制了我們

The objects we use, the clothes we wear,

我們用的物品，穿的衣服

the houses we live in, all have a profound impact

住的房子，全都會對我們的行為

on our behavior, health and quality of life.

健康和生活品質有著深遠的影響

So if we are to live in a world made of smart materials,

所以如果我們身處的世界充滿了智慧型材料

we should know and understand them.

我們就該去認識且了解它們

Secondly, and just as important,

第二點

innovation has always been fueled by tinkerers.

創新總是在不起眼的改造中誕生

So many times, amateurs, not experts,

很多時候，是外行人而非專家

have been the inventors and improvers

成了發明者或是改進者

of things ranging from mountain bikes

越野腳踏車

to semiconductors, personal computers,

半導體、個人電腦

airplanes.

飛機等都是如此

The biggest challenge is that material science is complex

最大的困難通常在於材料科學很複雜

and requires expensive equipment.

且需要昂貴的設備

But that's not always the case.

但也不總是如此

Two scientists at University of Illinois understood this

伊利諾大學有兩名科學家便深諳此道理

when they published a paper on a simpler method

他們發表的論文是關於如何用較簡單的方法

for making conductive ink.

製作導電油墨

Jordan Bunker, who had had

喬登邦克

no experience with chemistry until then,

在讀論文前完全沒有相關化學經驗

read this paper and reproduced the experiment

他試著跟著論文步驟做實驗

at his maker space using only off-the-shelf substances

並用現成原料及工具

and tools.

製作

He used a toaster oven,

他用烤箱

and he even made his own vortex mixer,

甚至根據其他科學家的說明書

based on a tutorial by another scientist/maker.

自製試管震盪器

Jordan then published his results online,

喬登後來將自己的成果放上網

including all the things he had tried and didn't work,

裡面包括他做的所有嘗試，以及失敗的案例

so others could study and reproduce it.

這樣其他人就可以效法

So Jordan's main form of innovation

喬登創新的地方

was to take an experiment created in a well-equipped lab

是將原本需要在設備精密的

at the university

大學實驗室才能完成的實驗

and recreate it in a garage in Chicago

在他在芝加哥家中的車庫

using only cheap materials and tools he made himself.

只用便宜的材料和用具就自己完成了

And now that he published this work,

而在他發表這項成果後

others can pick up where he left

其他人就可以接續研究

and devise even simpler processes and improvements.

想出更簡單的方法或是改進步驟

Another example I'd like to mention

我想分享的另一個例子

is Hannah Perner-Wilson's Kit-of-No-Parts.

是漢娜威爾森的無零件工具

Her project's goal is to highlight

她想要強調

the expressive qualities of materials

材料的質性

while focusing on the creativity and skills of the builder.

以及創造者的創造力和技術

Electronics kits are very powerful

電子零件在教導我們認識東西的運作上

in that they teach us how things work,

非常有用

but the constraints inherent in their design

但這卻有侷限性：實驗本身的設計方式

influence the way we learn.

會影響到我們學習的方式

So Hannah's approach, on the other hand,

因此漢娜的辦法

is to formulate a series of techniques

是發想出一系列的技術

for creating unusual objects

來創造特殊物品

that free us from pre-designed constraints

以使我們能不受限於設計上的侷限

by teaching us about the materials themselves.

真正去認識材料本身

So amongst Hannah's many impressive experiments,

漢娜眾多令人印象深刻的實驗裡

this is one of my favorites.

這是我最喜歡的一樣

["Paper speakers"]

[紙喇叭]

What we're seeing here is just a piece of paper

我們現在看到的只是一張紙

with some copper tape on it connected to an mp3 player

上面貼了一些銅線，且連到MP3

and a magnet.

和磁鐵上

(Music: "Happy Together")

（音樂：快樂愛相隨）

So based on the research by Marcelo Coelho from MIT,

根據麻省理工柯爾賀先生的研究

Hannah created a series of paper speakers

漢娜用許多不同的材料

out of a wide range of materials

銅膠帶，導電布和油墨等

from simple copper tape to conductive fabric and ink.

製作出一系列的紙喇叭

Just like Jordan and so many other makers,

而就像喬登以及許多其它的製作者

Hannah published her recipes

漢娜將方法公開

and allows anyone to copy and reproduce them.

讓大家可以複製或轉載

But paper electronics is one of the most promising branches

但紙電子只是現在前景最被看好的

of material science

材料科學其中一個分支罷了

in that it allows us to create cheaper and flexible electronics.

紙電子讓我們能創造出較便宜且有彈性的電子

So Hannah's artisanal work,

漢娜的手工藝成品

and the fact that she shared her findings,

加上她的願意分享發現

opens the doors to a series of new possibilities

使得一連串極具美感以及創新的

that are both aesthetically appealing and innovative.

新發現有了可能

So the interesting thing about makers

製造者有趣的地方在於

is that we create out of passion and curiosity,

我們本著熱忱與好奇創造

and we are not afraid to fail.

且我們不怕失敗

We often tackle problems from unconventional angles,

我們常從獨特的角度解決問題

and, in the process, end up discovering alternatives

並在過程中發現

or even better ways to do things.

其他的甚至更好的方法

So the more people experiment with materials,

所以越多人在材料上做實驗

the more researchers are willing to share their research,

越多研究人員願意分享研究

and manufacturers their knowledge,

散播知識

the better chances we have to create technologies

我們就有越大的機會創造出

that truly serve us all.

服務眾人的科技

So I feel a bit as Ted Nelson must have

我現在的感覺有點像泰德尼爾森

when, in the early 1970s, he wrote,

在一九七零年代早期寫下

"You must understand computers now."

「你們現在應該要了解電腦」時的心情

Back then, computers were these large mainframes

當時，電腦是只有科學家在關心的

only scientists cared about,

大型計算機

and no one dreamed of even having one at home.

根本沒人料的到以後會人人一台

So it's a little strange that I'm standing here and saying,

所以也許你們會覺得我現在站在這裡和大家說

"You must understand smart materials now."

「你們現在必須要了解智慧型材料」很奇怪

Just keep in mind that acquiring preemptive knowledge

但謹記

about emerging technologies

搶先擁有新興科技的知識

is the best way to ensure that we have a say

是確保我們能對於自己的未來

in the making of our future.

仍有發言權最好的方式

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

（掌聲）