Digital clay apparatus and method

A system and method for controlling the surface and/or volume of a digital clay device is provided. One embodiment, among others, is a method comprising the following steps: determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device, determining a volumetric change of fluid residing in a bladder, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion, opening a micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) valve so that the fluid flows through the MEMS valve thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid, and adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the bladder on the skeleton structure portion when the volume of the bladder changes in response to the determined volumetric change.