Pourable Smart Matter for Irregular Container Geometry Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Measuring the geometry and volume of complex, irregularly shaped containers and cavities, such as those found in hydraulic fracturing well bores, is a challenging task due to their intricate geometries and depths.
Innovation Solution
A pourable smart matter comprising tessellatable compute nodes with embedded processors, sensors, and communication capabilities that can determine their own and neighboring nodes' positions and orientations, allowing for the computation of the overall geometry and volume of a container through distributed computing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional measurement methods are used for irregular containers, then the measurement process becomes complex and time-consuming, but the measurement precision can be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into multiple independent compute nodes (spherical particles) that each perform localized measurements. Instead of using a single complex measurement device, the system divides the measurement task across many simple nodes that collectively map the container geometry through their individual position and orientation data.
Solution Approach 2:
Each compute node autonomously determines its own position and orientation within the container using onboard sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) and communicates with neighboring nodes. The nodes self-organize to form a complete geometric map without requiring external measurement equipment or complex centralized control.
2Measurement precision
If compute nodes are made small and numerous to improve geometry mapping accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity and quantity of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each spherical compute node is designed as a universal, multi-functional unit that can serve multiple purposes: it acts as both a measurement sensor and a communication node, performs localized geometry mapping, and contributes to the overall container volume calculation. This universality reduces the need for specialized components and minimizes the total number of nodes required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes the balance between node size and node quantity by adjusting key parameters such as spherical diameter, sensor sensitivity, and communication range. By changing these parameters, the system achieves adequate measurement precision with a minimized number of nodes, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and quantity.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed in an example, a pourable smart matter having a plurality of compute nodes, the compute nodes having: a mechanical structure having a plurality of faces, the faces having abutting face detectors; a network interface; and one or more logic elements comprising a positional engine to: identify a neighbor compute node abutting at least one of the faces; and build an individual positional profile based at least in part on the identifying. The pourable smart matter may be used, for example, to determine the geometry or volume of a container.