Utility fog: A universal physical substance

Abstract

Active, polymorphic material ('Utility Fog') can be designed as a conglomeration of 100-micron robotic cells ('foglets'). Such robots could be built with the techniques of molecular nanotechnology. Controllers with processing capabilities of 1000 MIPS per cubic micron, and electric motors with power densities of one milliwatt per cubic micron are assumed. Utility Fog should be capable of simulating most everyday materials, dynamically changing its form and properties, and forms a substrate for an integrated virtual reality and telerobotics.