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PNEUFORM
MIT - Media Lab - Tangible Interfaces
In collaboration with Saurabh Mhatre, Clark Della Silva, Yi Tong & Juli Edtya Sikorska
Concept: PneuForm is the missing link between a physical and a digital model, where data is transmitted from a TUI to a GUI through a 3D model in real time. It can be manipulated both ways: physical interaction with the tangible model changes the data in the 3D model, as shown PneuForm connects a physical, three-dimensional model and it’s digital representation on a graphical user interface. Through a flexible, high-resolution sensible and programmable material and modeling software, it allows a two-sided interaction between a tangible object and a precise digital model that can be modified from either side and is simultaneously represented in its counterpart.by the GUI, and changing parameters in the graphical user interface affects the physical model as it moves and changes it shape, and can thus be programmed to perform certain actions.
The Folding Fabric: The folding fabric consists of 6 pieces of laser cut plastic squares connected with 5 flex sensors (Figure x). All the flex sensors is connected in series by a wire going through the connect on the same side and then linked to the 5V linear regulator. The remaining connectors on each sensor are connected to 5 different analog inputs, A0,A1,A2,A3,A4 respectively and then connected to the ground in parallel with a 9.1k resistor in between, which serves as a voltage divider. The plastic board is glued and sealed in between two piece of black fabric. SO the folding fabric has 6 pixels. When the fabric is fold, the flex sensor between the boards will sense a ben. The flex sensor then changes its resistance when flexed and that change is measured using the corresponding analog pin on the Arduino.The analog pin serves as a voltage meter where at 5V (its max) it would read 1023, and at 0v it read 0.
Actuation: Pneumatic Silicone Actuators allow the transformation of the fabric just by its inherent material properties. The actuation is based on the fact is that when air is pumped and pressure is applied within the silicone channel the force acts on the largest surface. This causes the actuators to bulge along their longitudinal axis hence causing the fabric pixel to deform. When the air flow is stopped the actuator returns to its original position due to the restoring force of the silicone. Using the above principle a variety of hinges could be designed which have a direct co-relation between the amounts of pressure to the change in angle. By varying the pressures applied to the 2 pneumatic actuators the angle of the case can be changed. The same is also valid for changing the configuration of flat sheets into 3d objects.
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