Precedent Research

ShapeShift

A Dielectric Elastic Actuator (DEA) installation

A research collaboration between the chair for Computer Aided Architectural Design (ETHZ) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA).

Soft Robotics is a new and exciting field. With increased flexibility, robots can easily interface with humans and improve quality of life through untapped technology. A DEA works by transferring electric energy into mechanical work. This technology relies on the relationship between stress and strain in different elastomers. All elastomers differ in the amount it will deflect given a prescribed stress. A DEA uses this relationship by applying electrical energy through the elastomer to reduce the internal stress of the elastomer causing the strain of the materials to change. Using this knowledge, the people involved in ShapeShift sandwiched carbon powder between two different elastomers. One elastomer was initial pre-strained prior to be attached to the assembly. As a result, the pre-stretch (stress) will be reduced as electricity is applied. Thus, the the strain will relax and the shape changes.

I appreciate this project for is novelty. The team that created ShapeShift created something beautiful out of cutting edge technology. Elastomers are not well understood, making it difficult to predict their behavior. Advanced modeling, such as a Ogden Model, can be used for some elastomers, but this often does not suffice. Thus, an additional layer of complexity is added to this project.

Chalkbot

Tour De France advertising campaign created by Pittsburgh company, Deeplocal

The Chalkbot is a great example of design for an environment/space. It is expressive and a fantastic use of the connected world. 

Chalkbot is an advertising campaign. Tour De France viewers could submit short phrases to be painted on the road using chalk. The idea was that they could send a message to the riders remotely. The service also photographed the phase and returned it for the submitter to see.

Kinetic Sculptures

Theo Jansen creates huge strandbeasts which he intends to further develop until they can "live" on their own (move without human an electrical power).

These kinetic sculptures are imaginative and extraordinary. They remind me of something from my childhood dreams. I love that Jansen's work requires no electricity. He uses the environment to bring his creatures to life.

Theo Jansen uses pvc tubes to create these huge sculptures that walk across the sand.