Robot Self-Assembly by Folding: A Printed Inchworm Robot

3d printed robot!!

【轉貼】DIY Bioprinter Lets Wannabe Scientists Build Structures From Living Cells

related info:
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/diy-bio-printer/

【轉貼】ICD/ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION 2012

ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2012: Production Start from ICD on Vimeo.



ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2012: Dry Run from ICD on Vimeo.


ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2012: Prototyping from ICD on Vimeo.

original post:
http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=8807

ICD/ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION 2012

In November 2012 the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart have completed a research pavilion that is entirely robotically fabricated from carbon and glass fibre composites. This interdisciplinary project, conducted by architectural and engineering researchers of both institutes together with students of the faculty and in collaboration with biologists of the University of Tübingen, investigates the possible interrelation between biomimetic design strategies and novel processes of robotic production. The research focused on the material and morphological principles of arthropods’ exoskeletons as a source of exploration for a new composite construction paradigm in architecture.

At the core of the project is the development of an innovative robotic fabrication process within the context of the building industry based on filament winding of carbon and glass fibres and the related computational design tools and simulation methods. A key aspect of the project was to transfer the fibrous morphology of the biological role model to fibre-reinforced composite materials, the anisotropy of which was integrated from the start into the computer-based design and simulation processes, thus leading to new tectonic possibilities in architecture. The integration of the form generation methods, the computational simulations and robotic manufacturing, specifically allowed the development of a high performance structure: the pavilion requires only a shell thickness of four millimetres of composite laminate while spanning eight metres.

BIOLOGICAL MODEL

Following a “bottom-up” approach, a wide range of different subtypes of invertebrates were initially investigated in regards to the material anisotropy and functional morphology of arthropods. The observed biological principles were analysed and abstracted in order to be subsequently transferred into viable design principles for architectural applications. The exoskeleton of the lobster (Homarus americanus) was analysed in greater detail for its local material differentiation, which finally served as the biological role model of the project.
 The lobster’s exoskeleton (the cuticle) consists of a soft part, the endocuticle, and a relatively hard layer, the exocuticle. The cuticle is a secretion product in which chitin fibrils are embedded in a protein matrix. The specific differentiation of the position and orientation of the fibres and related material properties respond to specific local requirements. The chitin fibres are incorporated in the matrix by forming individual unidirectional layers. In the areas where a non-directional load transfer is required, such individual layers are laminated together in a spiral (helicoidal) arrangement. The resulting isotropic fibre structure allows a uniform load distribution in every direction. On the other hand, areas which are subject to directional stress distributions exhibit a unidirectional layer structure, displaying an anisotropic fibre assembly which is optimized for a directed load transfer. Due to this local material differentiation, the shell creates a highly adapted and efficient structure. The abstracted morphological principles of locally adapted fibre orientation constitute the basis for the computational form generation, material design and manufacturing process of the pavilion.

TRANSFER OF BIOMIMETIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES

In collaboration with the biologists, the fibre orientation, fibre arrangement and associated layer thickness and stiffness gradients in the exoskeleton of the lobster were carefully investigated. The high efficiency and functional variation of the cuticle is due to a specific combination of exoskeletal form, fibre orientation and matrix. These principles were applied to the design of a robotically fabricated shell structure based on a fibre composite system in which the resin-saturated glass and carbon fibres were continuously laid by a robot, resulting in a compounded structure with custom fibre orientation.

In existing fibre placement techniques, e.g. in the aero-space industry or advanced sail production, the fibres are typically laid on a separately manufactured positive mold. Since the construction of a complete positive formwork is fairly unsuitable for the building industry, the project aimed to reduce the positive form to a minimum. As a consequence, the fibres were laid on a temporary lightweight, linear steel frame with defined anchor points between which the fibres were tensioned. From the straight segments of the prestressed fibres, surfaces emerge that result in the characteristic double curved shape of the pavilion. In this way the hyperbolic paraboloid surfaces resulting from the first sequence of glass fibre winding serve as an integral mould for the subsequent carbon and glass fibre layers with their specific structural purposes and load bearing properties. In other words, the pavilion itself establishes the positive formwork as part of the robotic fabrication sequence. Moreover, during the fabrication process it was possible to place the fibres so that their orientation is optimally aligned with the force flow in the skin of the pavilion. Fibre optic sensors, which continuously monitor the stress and strain variations, were also integrated in the structure. The project’s concurrent consideration of shell geometry, fibre arrangement and fabrication process leads to a novel synthesis of form, material, structure and performance.

Through this high level of integration the fundamental properties of biological structures were transferred:
 •Heterogeneity: six different filament winding sequences control the variation of the fibre layering and the fibre orientation of the individual layers at each point of the shell. They are designed to minimize material consumption whilst maximizing the stiffness of the structure resulting in significant material efficiency and a very lightweight structure.
 •Hierarchy: the glass fibres are mainly used as a spatial partitioning element and serve as the formwork for the following layers, whilst the stiffer carbon fibres contribute primarily to the load transfer and the global stiffness of the system.
 •Function integration: in addition to the structural carbon fibres for the load transfer and the glass fibres for the spatial articulation, functional fibres for illumination and structural monitoring can be integrated in the system.

COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN AND ROBOTIC PRODUCTION

A prerequisite for the design, development and realization of the project was a closed, digital information chain linking the project’s model, finite element simulations, material testing and robot control. Form finding, material and structural design were directly integrated in the design process, whereby the complex interaction of form, material, structure and fabrication technology could be used as an integral aspect of the biomimetic design methodology. The direct coupling of geometry and finite element simulations into computational models allowed the generation and comparative analysis of numerous variations. In parallel, the mechanical properties of the fibre composites determined by material testing were included in the process of form generation and material optimization. The optimization of the fibre and layer arrangement through a gradient-based method, allowed the development of a highly efficient structure with minimal use of material.
 The robotic fabrication of the research pavilion was performed on-site in a purpose-built, weatherproof manufacturing environment by a 6-axis robot coupled with an external seventh axis. Placed on a 2m high pedestal and reaching an overall working span and height of 4m, the robot placed the fibres on the temporary steel frame, which was actuated in a circular movement by the robotically controlled turntable. As part of the fabrication process the fibres were saturated with resin while running through a resin bath directly prior to the robotic placement. This specific setup made it possible to achieve a structure of approximately 8.0m in diameter and 3.5m height by continuously winding more than 30 kilometres of fibre rovings. The parametric definition of the winding motion paths in relation to the digital geometry model, the robotic motion planning including mathematical coupling with the external axis, as well as the generation of robot control code itself could be implemented in a custom-developed design and manufacturing integrated environment. After completion of the robotic filament winding process and the subsequent tempering of the fibre-resin composite, the temporary steel frame could be disassembled and removed. The remaining, extremely thin shell of just 4mm thickness constitutes an automatically fabricated, but locally differentiated structure.

The concurrent integration of the biomimetic principles of the lobster’s cuticle and the logics of the newly developed robotic carbon and glass fibre filament winding within the computational design process, enable a high level of structural performance and novel tectonic opportunities for architecture. Despite its considerable size and span, the semi-transparent skin of the pavilion weighs less than 320kg and reveals the system’s structural logic through the spatial arrangement of the carbon and glass fibres. The synthesis of novel modes of computational and material design, digital simulation and robotic fabrication allows both the exploration of a new repertoire of architectural possibilities and the development of extremely lightweight and materially efficient structures.

related info:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.486150634765083.103662.207070229339793&type=1

Rob|Arch 2012: Robot Workshop ETH Zurich/ROB

Rob|Arch 2012: Robot Workshop ETH Zurich/ROB from robotsinarchitecture on Vimeo.

HygroScope

HygroScope - Centre Pompidou Paris from ICD on Vimeo.

隨著濕度變化而改變型態的裝置。

[新書預告]仿生微生系 運作中

這是正醞釀中的新書 仿生微生系。

距離活潑建築出版也差不多四年有了，期間繼續發展自己的理論架構，一方面應用在設計教學的實驗上，很興奮也近關情怯，趕稿中，加油！

snake robot

ieee spectrum inside technology

自我建構 self-assembly

responsive bio-mimetic tutorial

2 weeks ago, i had a conversation with my students talking about our final review's goal. along the hard working of this semester, we tried to articulate a view point about a responsive pattern, which is based on the mechanism of the target bio-creature each group is being asked to research. and then the knowledge is materialized into a proto-device, a mimetic prototype. the step followiong is the mutation of its variation and composition of its pattern. the final step is the artificial life formulation wuth the help of arduino and sensor to create a responsive pattern.

flowing rain trace as an adjustable formation

i took a bus the other day. it was raining and freezing in taipei. i looked outside through the window to see the cityscape. to some degree, a bus window is an excellent observing tool to experience the city life and culture. due to the rain fall and the uneven bus roof, so there came a continuing little "river" flowing vertically passing on the window surface. i am so attractive to this tiny urban spectacle, more charming than the taipei 101 fire work at the new year eve, that i was suddenly isolated from the other city events and focused on the changeable water trace i was witnessing. what is more graceful and astonishing is the story the rain and bus scriped together, sharing the same key structure to the generation of animated forms, vivid forms, or the forms with life. from an embryo in a womb to the landscape of earth, from the baking bread in the oven to the rushing stream of the boiled water demostrates the process of form making and its moveable nature in form. i have to say it is a tiny opening ocasionally happening in daily life, but also a deep insight that sees through the apprearance of the enormous structure that functions steadily in the universe.

LED triggered by LDR

The setting for the LDR exercise is the same as the button exercise except that the button is replaced by LDR(light dependent resistor) which leads to the environment light brightness as the factor controlling the LED's on/off. It is a simple interesting sensor-based electrical circuit.

The 2nd exercise is modified based on the previous one, but the output pin is shifted to the PWM which conveys not only the yes or no value but also how much the value is and what quality the value effects the environment condition.

button to control LED's ON/OFF & its brightness

After resting 4 2 weeks, i am back on my arduino journey. the new practice is about how to use button to control a LED's on/off and its brightness.

LED on/off is shown before, however, the interesting thing is setting the brightness by using the same button with PWM(pulse width modulation) concept. PWM is preset in arduino already. it is arrangement of the proportion of on and off to modulate the desired condition for brightness of LED or speed of motors etc.

it is a little exercise from chapter 5 in "getting started with arduino".

arduino gogogo

最近開始又多學一件微控制器的平台arduino，之前學的是較難的pic。
arduino是特別開發給原本非專業領域的人員，如設計者、藝術家等。其中程式語言對於使用者而言較簡化，工具也整合的較親民。對於設計教學而言，似乎較為容易。但pic較廣為業界實用，似乎功能也較強大，但孰者較為適切，再慢慢端視情境發展吧！

這是一個按鍵控制led燈發亮的練習。還蠻好玩的。

生命體建築

近期世界各地建築先鋒的另一群人正在做另一種突破的創舉，不是寫程式、畫3d、製作人工機械，而是真的將生命帶入建築。看見這些作品的成就，很值得為他們喝采！

當建築是生命體時，不管是機械生命、真實的生化生命、機械與生命混種的新結合、奈米微尺度世界裡，建築絕對有另一層的注解。過去如此，現在如此，未來也是一樣。世界是動態的，所有感受認知的都在變化中。

這跟我長期以來的建築思考是很貼近的，也一直有這樣的想法，但總是老跟不上步伐實踐。社會看待設計總是先做先贏。

也該反省反省自己：
一方面，建築先鋒者真不好當，實在需要不斷地努力。
另一方面來說，其實也不能只靠努力，因為獲得資源其實更是重要，這些人背後勢必有很多機構來支持這些工作。光是努力似乎太駝鳥。
學習的速度與效率也需要提升。
另外，一顆平常智慧的心，除了基本陪伴艱辛與孤獨外，更能在受人冷嘲熱諷或是承受先鋒同儕彼此之間的競爭壓力時，不至於失心瘋。

再加油吧！

延伸閱讀：
http://inhabitat.com/2010/07/08/in-vitro-habitat-a-house-made-of-meat/
http://www.archinode.com/index.html

cellbot

結合android手機，arduino機械控制，一台小機械人出現了！
看看！頗好玩。

原址：http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/05/android-and-arduino-packin-cellbot-features-voice-recognition

玩具機械人

紐約玩具展展出許多玩具機械人(生物)，小孩、大人應該都很愛。

da issue9 out on shelves 夯9上架

夯第九期上架。主題是紙上建築。有收錄之前參加第一屆先進建築競圖獲得佳作的作品。urban rhizome 都市地下莖。是有關環保的集合住宅。

生物機械

由生物出發探尋其機制而衍生人造物的想法，一直在我的創作、實驗、教學扮演重要的角色。這次在元智帶的設計課，因為結合了機械系與藝創系，所以在技術方面獲得機械系同學的幫助，讓作品能更進一步朝我的理想前進。多謝這幾位同學的努力，他們是廖尹瑄、顧和容(藝創系)，王竹安、呂南璋(機械系)！good job

half human half robot

load carrier from "alien"


control interface from "surrogates"


surrogate robot from "surrogates"


warrior robot from "avatar"





機械人的發展除了往人造生命外，人跟機械人的關係也愈發密切，機械人也可以是人體或意念的延伸。幾十年來在科幻小說、電影、動畫裡都一直勾勒類似的夢想，而這些夢想近十年內也在各地實驗室被開發出來。

bioloid robot kit

根據維基這是韓國製造商開發出來的機械人套件，真的只有一個字“屌！”

機械人的動作姿態可以透過動畫模式設定，完成一系列的choreography!想到幾乎十年前同樣的邏輯用maya做動畫，十年後是在規劃機械人的animation！對於科技的進步，設計面對新時代的回應有很深的感觸。