arXiv subjects

Mohamed Mousa

Publications and source records attributed to Mohamed Mousa.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Analog signal processing, storage, and demultiplexing via in-materia wave-based computing

The ability of mechanical systems to perform basic computations has gained traction in recent years, providing a robust supplement to digital computing in off-grid, low-power, and extreme environments where electronics are inaccessible or risk failure. However, prior work has focused on Boolean logic applied via bistable structures, snap-through mechanisms, or origami lattices. Digital signal processing (DSP) underpins a wide range of computational tasks, providing the foundation for information encoding, manipulation, and analysis. In contrast to conventional DSP approaches, we present a new paradigm for analog information processing, where an elastic substrate houses a spatial wave-based platform for mechanical signal manipulation in the temporal domain. The proposed metasurface-based system exploits temperature-dependent phase transitions of shape memory alloys (SMAs) to realize key signal-processing functionalities, including gating, retention, and programmable delay of impinging mechanical loads. In doing so, we address a new set of challenges by manipulating transient mechanical waves through dispersive and lossy media. Building on this capability, we introduce the concept of mechanical wave-based memory, in which a locally resonant metamaterial's dispersion characteristics are actively reconfigured to achieve programmable delays while preserving spatial waveform integrity, and demonstrate its utility in the context of input shaping and frequency demultiplexing of superimposed waves. More broadly, the modular and scalable nature of the demonstrated framework paves the way for advanced mechanical computing architectures, enabling higher-order operations such as signal classification, parallel processing, and reservoir computing through the controlled sequencing and temporal alignment of mechanical signals.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2026

Thermoelastic wave-based logic for mechanically cognitive materials

Recent advances in metamaterials and fabrication techniques have revived interest in mechanical computing. Contrary to techniques relying on static deformations of buckling beams or origami-based lattices, the integration of wave scattering and mechanical memory presents a promising path toward efficient, low-latency elastoacoustic computing. This work introduces a novel class of multifunctional mechanical computing circuits that leverage the rich dynamics of phononic and locally resonant materials. These circuits incorporate memory-integrated components, realized here via metamaterial cells infused with shape memory alloys which recall stored elastic profiles and trigger specific actions upon thermal activation. A critical advantage of this realization is its synergistic interaction with incident vibroacoustic loads and the inherited high speed of waves, as opposed to recent adaptations of mechanically intelligent systems that employ innately slower mechanisms such as elastomeric shape changes and snap-through bistabilities. Through a proof-of-concept physical implementation, the efficacy and reconfigurability of the wave-based gates are demonstrated via output probes and measured wavefields. Furthermore, the modular design of the fundamental gates can be used as building blocks to construct complex combinational logic circuits, paving the way for sequential logic in wave-based analog computing systems.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2026

Long wave infrared detection using probabilistic spintronic bolometer arrays

The use of probabilistic spintronic devices for infrared radiation detection has introduced a shift in approach to thermal imaging. The integration of probabilistic magnetic tunnel junctions with infrared plasmonic nano-antennas achieves high-sensitivity digital-mode infrared sensors at room temperature. Here, we present a scalable approach towards multipixel plasmonic-spintronic bolometer array fabrication and readout. We fabricate proof-of-concept 2x2 row-column multiplexed probabilistic plasmonic sprintronic arrays and show their response to long-wave infrared radiation (8-14um) with high readout speeds (10K-1M counts per second). These spintronic, ultrafast, nanoscale (SUN) bolometers can result in novel high-pixel density CMOS compatible infrared detection platforms. Our work provides a broadband (9kHz to 3GHz) readout platform for future digital probabilistic detector applications. Furthermore, our approach addresses a key challenge associated with scaling infrared pixel sizes that can drive progress towards high pixel density detector arrays for infrared sensing and microscopy applications.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Passive acoustic logic via topology-optimized waveguides

Growing energy demands of modern digital devices necessitate alternative, low-power computing mechanisms. When incident loads take the form of acoustic or vibrational waves, the ability to mechanically process information eliminates the need for transduction, paving the way for passive computing. Recent studies have proposed systems that learn and execute mechanical logic through buckling, bistability, and origami-inspired lattices. However, owing to the large timescales of shape morphing, such concepts suffer from slow operation or require active stimulation of adaptive materials. To address these limitations, we present a novel approach to mechanical logic, leveraging the rich dynamics of wave propagation in elastic structures. In lieu of traditional forward-design tools, such as band diagrams and transmission spectra, we employ a multi-faceted topology optimization approach, enabling us to identify candidate waveguide configurations within an extremely large design space. By incorporating voids within an otherwise uniform substrate, the optimized waveguides are able to precisely manipulate wave propagation paths, triggering desirable interferences of the scattered wavefield that culminate in energy localization at readouts corresponding to a given logic function. An experimental setup is used to demonstrate the efficacy of such logic gates and their resilience to non-uniform loading. By implementing these building blocks into a mechanical adder, we demonstrate the scalable deployment of more sophisticated mechanical computing circuits, opening up new avenues in mechanical signal processing and physical computing.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2024

Parallel mechanical computing: Metamaterials that can multitask

Decades after being replaced with digital platforms, analogue computing has experienced a surging interest following developments in metamaterials and intricate fabrication techniques. Specifically, wave-based analogue computers which impart spatial transformations on an incident wavefront, commensurate with a desired mathematical operation, have gained traction owing to their ability to directly encode the input in its unprocessed form, bypassing analogue-to-digital conversion. While promising, these systems are inherently limited to single-task configurations. Their inability to concurrently perform multiple tasks, or compute in parallel, represents a major hindrance to advancing conceptual mechanical devices with broader computational capabilities. In here, we present a first attempt to simultaneously process independent computational tasks within the same architected structure. By breaking time invariance in a set of metasurface building blocks, multiple frequency-shifted beams are self-generated which absorb notable energy amounts from the fundamental signal. The onset of these tunable harmonics, enables distinct computational tasks to be assigned to different independent "channels", effectively allowing an analogue mechanical computer to multitask.

physics.app-ph↗