Shape-to-Music: A Musical Representation for Structural Topologies of Mechanical Metamaterials

Mechanical metamaterials are increasingly attracting interest in engineering applications due to their unique mechanical properties and lightweight nature. This study develops a novel sound-based representation to characterize the topologies of mechanical metamaterials, including spinodal designs and porous cellular structures. Two distinct frameworks are introduced: an image-based approach, where material topologies are divided into grids and their relative densities are mapped to evolving melodies, and a numerical simulation approach, where finite element analysis (FEA) visualizes mechanical responses as color-coded images, translated into unique musical compositions. By applying the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), the generated melodies are analyzed as frequency plots, revealing distinct acoustic signatures for each material topology. This innovative approach not only distinguishes between different metamaterial designs but also provides an intuitive, auditory tool for material characterization. The results demonstrate the potential of sound-based representations to complement traditional methods in materials modeling, offering new avenues for design and analysis.