Outcome

ACT. REACT. DEPLOY. is a second prototype of a deployable roof. The premise of the project is to create an installation that is interactive and gets people excited about a kinetic output in response to their movements. With the installation displayed at Assemble gallery, the project embodies the type of projects that could be produce at Assemble’s workshops. The gallery aims to expose children to the creative possibilities that surround maker culture. This deployable roof could act as a draw to trigger pedestrians’ curiosity. It encourages those, who normally would not enter an art gallery, to approach the space and learn more. 

The biggest lesson learned from this prototype is that the weight of the modules is far greater than the strength of the stepper motors. Having researched different types of motors, the Nema 23 stepper motor seemed most appropriate for the scale of the project. However, once built it was clear that the motors were nowhere near strong enough. Having considered high-power motors, the complexity of those systems seemed to outweigh the benefits. For future iterations, the better solution seems to be to counterweight the modules. This would allow for a lighter load on the stepper motors.