From idea to reality, COgITOR is redefining what computing can be
Launched in 2021, the project brought together 25 scientists from different disciplines and countries, as coordinator Alessandro Chiolerio explains. What they set out to explore was a radical idea: the possibility of computing with liquids.
Over five years, this vision has taken shape through a truly interdisciplinary effort. The team developed systems capable of storing and processing information in colloidal suspensions, alongside technologies to generate energy from heat, pressure sensors based on nanocomposites, and soft robotic components.
As physicist Afshin Azarpour highlights, one of the most unexpected outcomes was the creation of a robot made entirely of complex liquid systems – a breakthrough that opens new possibilities for robotics.
This progress was made possible by the integration of very different expertise. Charandas Mohan worked on custom chips designed to emulate intelligent states within colloids, while Marco Crepaldi and his team enabled entirely new experiments on ferrofluids through dedicated measurement systems and software. At the same time, Adriana Nunes developed a self-healing skin to protect the robot, and Diego Torazza explored how light could be used to create forms of optical memory within fluids.
A key turning point came when the team realized it was actually possible to store and retrieve information in a liquid – a moment that reshaped the direction of the project.
Today, COgITOR has evolved into a working prototype, where all these components come together into a single system. The team is now testing its resilience under extreme conditions, including high pressure, temperature, and magnetic fields — scenarios that could pave the way for applications in environments such as the deep ocean or even outer space.
After five years, the project has reached a major milestone – but, as Chiolerio suggests, this is not an endpoint. It is the beginning of a new way of thinking about computing, materials, and intelligent systems.
