Argentu Ingegneria · 2023
Mechcircuit Sistema di Prototipazione Interattiva
- A' Design Award d'Argentu 2023 in Ingegneria
- CLIENT: Zhejiang University
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 1,218,946
- Verification code 85841D83B4 · Verify this award
Colors
About Mechcircuit Sistema di Prototipazione Interattiva
Mechcircuit hè un sistema di prototipazione per apparechji interattivi chì cumbinanu circuiti elettronichi è strutture meccaniche. I magneti di neodimiu sò à tempu magnetichi è cunduttori, cusì servenu à tempu di ghjunture mobili è di cunnessioni elettriche. I muvimenti rotativi è lineari sò ottenuti senza pezzi meccanichi tradiziunali. U cablatura è a saldatura sò rimpiazzati da magneti è fessure taglate à u laser, cusì i pezzi si cunnettenu è cambianu in furia. I prototipi sò taglati da fogli d'acrilicu di 2 mm, è l'inchjostru cunduttore d'argentu forma i circuiti. Un software di cuncezzione assistita da urdinatore sustene l'utilizatori micca esperti.
About the A' Design Award d'Argentu
Mechcircuit Sistema di Prototipazione Interattiva hè un vincitore di u premiu A' Design Award d'Argentu, una ricunniscenza straordinariamente prestigiosa attribuita à i disegni di alta gamma, splendidi è impressiunanti. I vincitori d'Argentu sò opere tremendamente brillanti è estremamente creative chì illustranu l'espertisa, u talentu è l'acutezza eccezziunali di i so disegnatori. Si aspetta chì Mechcircuit Sistema di Prototipazione Interattiva sia una opera maravigliosa di mostra, rimarchevulemente prufessiunale è prufondamente innuvatrice. Stu disegnu vincitore di u premiu A' Design Award d'Argentu hè una invenzione assai nutevule è ammirata chì benefizia è allarga i limiti di l'arte, di a scienza, di u disegnu è di a tecnulugia. Mechcircuit Sistema di Prototipazione Interattiva hè una creazione assai invidiata chì evoca disideri, introduce sentimenti pusitivi è accende stupore è maraviglia.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Mechcircuit enables non-expert users to design and fabricate interactive prototypes with electronic circuits and mechanical structures. Users can achieve mechanical functions like rotary and linear without using traditional mechanical parts. Meanwhile, instead of involving complicated operations like wiring and soldering in conventional electronic circuits, Mechcircuit applies magnetism and laser-cut slots to connect the components, making connecting and replacing quick and easy.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Mechcircuit uses acrylic sheets with a thickness of 2mm. Usually the prototype is no smaller than 10mmX10mmX5mm. the size of the prototype varies depending on the actual design.
- Tags
- Interaction Design, Magnetoelectric Materials, Prototyping, Computational Aided Design
- Production Technology
- Taking advantage of the fact that rubidium magnets are both magnetic and conductive, we have designed mechanical structures with magnets. It is much easier to design and assemble than the traditional mechanical structure. At the same time the mechanical structure is still interactive. To facilitate user design and generation, we have developed computer-aided design software. The software integrates various modules for user-friendly prototyping. We used a commercial grade laser cutter for cutting and processing and conductive silver ink for the circuitry.
- Design Challenge
- Mechcircuit wanted to integrate the design of structures and circuits, while simplifying the design and manufacturing process. It was challenging to use a different design and fabrication approach than traditional ones and to use materials that were readily available. Based on several attempts, we finally chose rubidium magnets as the magnetoelectric material and used conductive silver ink paint to replace the traditional Dupont wire.
- Research
- Mechcircuit leverage the neodymium magnet’s natures of magnetism and conductivity to integrate electronics and mechanical structure joints into prototypes. We conduct the evaluation to explore technological parameters and assess the practical feasibility of the fabrication pipeline. And we organized a user-observing workshop for non-expert users. Through the outcoming prototypes, the result demonstrates the feasibility of Mechcircuit as a useful and inspiring prototyping method.
- Inspiration
- In prototyping, the design of electronic circuits and the design of mechanical structures are often carried out separately. In addition, the electronic circuitry and the mechanical structure also affect the prototype's styling. This makes the design often not optimal.
- Project Duration
- The project starts in July 2022 and ends in December 2022 at the School of Software, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
- Operation Flow
- The mechanical structure composed of magnets allows the user to design and assemble easily. As the user manipulates the structure, the circuit signals change. The user can interact with the circuit by manipulating the structure.
- Patents
- All photos/videos are from Shuyue Feng, Department of Industrial Design, School of Software, Zhejiang University
