MK.II Terra-Crab Prototype: Technical Specification

Document Version: 9.0 (Final Review) | Date: 10th October 2025

THE UNIFIED PITCH: A Zero-Cost Food Factory (Executive Summary)

The MK.II Terra-Crab is an autonomous, integrated food fabrication unit designed to serve as a Global Public Good, eliminating zero-supply-chain food insecurity in off-grid and crisis-affected environments.

The entire design is to be non-profit under the Creative Commons License, ensuring the solution remains a zero-cost public asset for aid organizations globally.

1.0. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & LICENSING MANDATE

Dual licence may be considered under specific conditions agreed upon by the founder/IP holder: Joshua Roy Dakin Mandryk

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License

By exercising the Licensed Rights (defined below), You accept and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License ("Public License").

Section 1 – Definitions: f. NonCommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation... 
Section 2 – Scope: i. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Public License, the Licensor hereby grants You a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to exercise the Licensed Rights in the Licensed Material to: (A) reproduce and Share the Licensed Material, in whole or in part, for NonCommercial purposes only; and (B) produce, reproduce, and Share Adapted Material for NonCommercial purposes only.
Section 3 – License Conditions: b. ShareAlike. In addition to the conditions in Section 3(a), if You Share Adapted Material You produce, the following conditions also apply. i. The Adapter's License You apply for must be a Creative Commons license with the same License Elements, this Version or later, or a BY-NC-SA Compatible License.
Section 5 – Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability: The Licensed Material is offered "as is" and "as available," and the Licensor makes no representations or warranties of any kind.
PROJECT OVERVIEW & SCOPE OF WORK (SOW)
  • Originator/IP Holder: Joshua Roy Dakin Mandryk (ABN: 80662917463)
  • Final Asset Owner: Licensor (J.R Dakin-Mandryk)
  • Deployment Goal: Verify scientific viability and collect baseline performance data (90-day test phase).
  • Status: Design Finalized (Ready for Fabrication and Assembly)
  • Core Principle: Integrated food fabrication ecosystem (transforms mycelium slurry into Food Inks for 3D printing).
CORE TECHNICAL MANDATES (BOM)
3.1. Control and User Interface
  • Display: 7-inch Capacitive Multi-Touch Display.
  • Main Processor: Raspberry Pi Compute Module (CM4) or equivalent SBC. (AI Core: Jetson Nano/SBC integration for autonomous control).
  • I/O Processor: Dedicated microcontroller (e.g., ESP32) for sensor input/motor control.
  • Interface: Standardized industrial multi-pin connector.
  • Data Acquisition: Platinum Micro-electrode array for fungal signaling research.
3.2. Bio-Reactor and Environmental Control
  • Vessel: CNC-machined Aluminum or equivalent sealed, high-grade enclosure.
  • Thermal Control: Functional Peltier Array system (Precision: plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius).
  • Atmosphere: Research-grade NDIR CO2 Sensor and solenoid-driven Fresh Air Exchange (FAE) system.
  • Water Capture: Multi-stage condensation and filtration system.
3.3. Molecular Synthesis and 3D Printing
  • Editing Head: High-frequency Ultrasonic Transducer or High-RPM Shear Mixer (food-grade Function: rapid Cell Lysis and Homogenization).
  • Injection System: Approximately 6 Low-Flow Peristaltic Pumps (Microliter-scale accuracy for additives).
  • 3D Printer: Multi-Material Culinary 3D Printer.
3.4. Robotics and Chassis
  • Structure: Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Plastic or Lightweight Aluminum Alloy.
  • Actuators (6-Leg): 12 Brushless DC Motors with integrated encoders.
  • Energy Harvesting: Piezoelectric Film integrated into all 12 leg joints.
BUILD SPECIFICATIONS & FLOW MANDATES
4.1. Physical & Performance Specifications (V1)
  • Build Volume: 200 x 200 x 100 mm
  • Layer Resolution: 0.2 mm - 1.0 mm
  • Print Speed: 500 to 1000 mm/s.
  • Base Slurry Throughput: 1 to 2 Liters per minute.
  • Power Requirements: Peak load: 2.5 Kilowatts. (Drawn from Gasifier/Battery Bank System)
  • Materials: All fluid-contact surfaces must be food-grade (316 Stainless Steel, PTFE, Silicone, borosilicate glass).
4.2. Culinary Ink Rheological Properties (Viscosity in Centipoise - cP)
  • "Steak Ink" (High Viscosity): 5,000 - 20,000 range (shear-thinning, structure-supporting).
  • "Mash Ink" (Medium Viscosity): 1,000 - 5,000 range (creamy, smooth extrusion).
  • "Sauce Ink" (Low Viscosity): 100 - 500 range (requires containment structures).
4.3. Process Flow Mandates
  • Fermentation/Preparation: Bioreactor (Temp: 25 to 28 degrees Celsius) Homogenization - Pasteurization (Temp: 70 to 80 degrees Celsius).
  • Extrusion: Piston-driven and auger-driven extruders. Heated Build Platform (Temp: 40 to 80 degrees Celsius).
  • Clean System (CPC): Complete internal/external cleaning via solvent/steam jets and UV-C light (zero cross-contamination mandate).
  • Finishing: Directed Energy Searing (Infrared/Laser) and Convection Heating.
DELIVERABLES & ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
5.1. Final Physical Deliverable

One (1) fully assembled, tested, and operational MK.II Terra-Crab prototype unit. Final asset ownership reverts to Licensor (J.R Dakin-Mandryk).

5.2. Acceptance Metrics (SOW Verification)
  • Thermal Control Target: Plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius sustained precision.
  • Net Electrical Output: 2.5 kW sustained output.
  • Water Recapture Rate: Minimum 90% efficiency.
  • Culinary Validation: Production of a stable, complex, dual-component meal.
6. FULL FABRICATION FLOW, VALIDATION, & DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
6.1. Fabrication Mandates (Industrial Sourcing and Machining)

This stage focuses on creating the complex, high-precision components required for system integrity (Target Cost: AUD $50,000).

  • CNC Machining of Bioreactor Vessel: The sealed aluminum or high-grade stainless steel vessel must be precision CNC-machined to ensure a secure, airtight environment capable of maintaining the 0.5 degree Celsius thermal tolerance. All internal mounts for the Peltier array and NDIR CO2 sensor must be integrated at this stage.
  • Food-Grade Material Sourcing: All fluid-contact components (internal piping, fittings, condensation surfaces) must be sourced or fabricated using 316 Stainless Steel and PTFE (Teflon), adhering strictly to food safety regulations.
  • Robotics Actuator Sourcing: Procure the 12 Brushless DC Motors with integrated encoders for the six-leg system. The carbon-fiber or lightweight aluminum chassis members must be fabricated with precision tolerances to accommodate the motors and Piezoelectric Film energy harvesting joints.
  • 3D Printing Component Manufacturing: Fabricate specialty components for the multi-material culinary print head, including nozzles and the extrusion pathway housing, using food grade polymers.
6.2. Sub-System Assembly and Integration Flow
  • Environmental Module Assembly: Integrate the cooling/heating elements (Peltier array) and the NDIR CO2 sensor into the base of the CNC-machined bioreactor vessel. Seal the vessel, performing initial pressure testing to prevent atmospheric cross-contamination.
  • Water Recapture System Integration: Assemble the multi-stage condensation and filtration stack. Integrate the entire assembly into the bioreactor system.
  • Robotics and Energy Base Construction: Assemble the six-leg chassis using the fabricated carbon-fiber sections. Install the 12 DC Motors and wire the integrated Piezoelectric Film harvesting pads into the primary 2.5 kW power bus and charging circuit. The chassis must be load-tested for stability.
  • Final Integration and Calibration: Synthesizer and Printing System Installation: Mount the high-frequency Ultrasonic Transducer and the 6 low-flow Peristaltic Pumps above the main mixing chamber. Connect the pumps via food-grade tubing to the culinary 3D printing extrusion unit.
  • Rheological Calibration: Calibrate the peristaltic pumps and extrusion mechanisms to accurately dispense the three planned Culinary Ink viscosity ranges for stable multi-material printing.
  • Final Cleaning and Certification: Perform the Complete Internal Cleaning Protocol (CPC) using solvent/steam jets and UV-C light to ensure absolute zero cross-contamination before the first mycelium slurry introduction.
6.3. Development Roadmap Deliverables
  • Phase 1 (Current Goal): Single-print-head system, stable dual texture demo, basic post-print searing.
  • Phase 2: Integrated slurry/injection with dual-print-head, simple dual-component meal, working automated purge system.
  • Phase 3 (Alpha Unit): Multi-head system capable of complex, ready-to-eat meal, blind human taste-tests, and alpha-unit final design.
6.4. Intellectual Property (IP) Status & Strategy
  • Status: Systems architecture is publicly disclosed as open-source (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) to establish prior art.
  • Strategy: Specific implementations or proprietary software may be subject to patent protection.
  • Partnership Mandate: Any commercial partner must agree to fund the maintenance and global, non-commercial dissemination of the core open-source design.
7. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA & PRIOR ART REFERENCES (Original Input Lists)

[Note: This section preserves original, raw data inputs for maximum completeness.]

  • MK.II VALIDATION TECHNICAL SUMMARY (Original List Format):
  • Problem - Food is currently seen as a commodity (a global mistake)
  • Solution: OpenSourceTerraCore's MK-Fleet: A self-sustaining, non-commercial, modular hardware ecosystem.
  • IP Lock: Protected by CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Non-Commercial).
  • SECTION B: THE CORE INVENTION (MK.I) - Process: Myco-Molecular Re-engineering (Ultrasonic Cell Lysis, Precision Lipid/Nutrient Injection).
  • Efficiency: Achieves zero waste and near-zero resource depletion.
  • Goal: Validate the core scientific assumptions using the MK.II prototype.
  • SECTION C: THE VALIDATION ASSET (MK.II) - Asset: MK.II TerraCrab Prototype.
  • Objective: Validate scientific assumptions necessary for commercial scale.
  • Key Technical Components (Must Be Verified): Precision Thermal Control: Peltier Array (±0.5°C), AI Core: Jetson Nano/SBC integration for autonomous control, Data Acquisition: Platinum Micro-electrode array for fungal signaling research.
  • MK.II Terra-Crab Prototype: V.90 Technical Mandates & IP Summary - 2025 Status: Design Finalized (Ready for Fabrication and Assembly).
  • Section 1: Intellectual Property & Licensing Mandate - This document details an invention intended as a Global Public Good, not a commercial venture.
  • Section 2: Core Technical Mandates (V9.0 Specifications) - Deployment Goal: Scientific viability and performance data collection for humanitarian deployment.
  • Critical Specifications for Technical Review: Thermal Control Precision: ±0.5°C sustained precision (Functional Peltier Array system). Water Recapture Rate: Minimum 90% efficiency (Multi-stage condensation and filtration system). Net Electrical Output: 2.5 kW sustained output (via Gasifier/Piezoelectric Harvesting). Material Mandate: All fluid-contact surfaces must be food-grade (316 Stainless Steel, PTFE, Silicone, borosilicate glass). Synthesis Function: High-frequency Ultrasonic Transducer for rapid Cell Lysis and Homogenization of slurry.
  • MK.II Terra-Crab Prototype - Fabrication and Assembly Flow (Note: Full details provided in Section 6.2).