Hatched at the Human Computer Interaction Lab at the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI) in Potsdam, Germany, “Ad Infinitum” is a “parasitical” machine that, quite literally, lives off of human-generated energy.

Metamaterials are engineered 3D cell grids that have properties that are not found in nature. Recently, a group of Hasso-Plattner Institute researchers (supported by a Shapeways educational grant) enhanced metamaterial design to include mechanical functionality.