FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg by Ali Shtarbanov

FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg by Ali Shtarbanov is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Gwobr Arian A' Design Award in Offeryn Gwyddonol Competition Category.

ArianOfferyn Gwyddonol· 2021

FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg

by Ali Shtarbanov

Client: Ali Shtarbanov, MIT Media Lab

Gwobr Arian A' Design Award Winner in Offeryn Gwyddonol Category

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The Design

About FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg

Platfform datblygu niwmateg yw FlowIO ar gyfer rheoli, gweithredu a synhwyro robotiaid meddal a deunyddiau rhaglenadwy. Mae'r prif fodiwl yn integreiddio falfiau, synwyryddion, microreolydd, batri a gwefrydd. Mae modiwlau pwmp yn cysylltu'n fagnetig a gellir eu cyfnewid yn ystod y defnydd, gydag opsiynau bach, canolig a mawr ar gyfer gwahanol bwysau a chyfraddau llif. Mae'r modiwlau wedi'u hamgáu mewn casinau clic argraffedig 3D. Mae pecyn cymorth meddalwedd yn ychwanegu rhyngwynebau graffigol symudol a bwrdd gwaith, rheolaeth Bluetooth a rhyngwynebau rhaglennu. Mae FlowIO yn addas ar gyfer prosiectau bwrdd gwaith a rhai gwisgadwy fel ei gilydd.

The Recognition

About the Gwobr Arian A' Design Award

Mae FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg yn enillydd Gwobr Arian A' Design Award, cydnabyddiaeth hynod fawreddog a roddir i ddyluniadau o'r radd uchaf, hardd a thrawiadol. Mae enillwyr Arian yn weithiau tra disglair a hynod greadigol sydd yn darlunio arbenigedd, dawn a chraffter rhagorol eu dylunwyr. Disgwylir i FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg fod yn waith gwych ac esiampl, yn nodedig o broffesiynol ac yn ddwfn arloesol. Mae'r dyluniad buddugol hwn o Wobr Arian A' Design Award yn ddyfais hynod nodedig a edmygir sydd yn elwa ac yn symud ymlaen ffiniau celf, gwyddoniaeth, dylunio a thechnoleg. Mae FlowIO Platfform Datblygu Niwmateg yn greadigaeth y cenfigennir wrthi yn eang, sydd yn deffro dyheadau, yn cyflwyno teimladau cadarnhaol ac yn cynnau rhyfeddod a syndod.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: FlowIO is a fully-integrated, general-purpose development platform for control of soft robots and programmable materials. With magnetically connected pump modules that are swappable on-the-fly, FlowIO can satisfy diverse project needs of researchers, artists, and makers. A software toolkit with mobile and desktop graphical interfaces, Bluetooth controls, and APIs for Arduino and JavaScript — enable users from any technical background to get started and unleash their creativity with FlowIO.
Dimensions & Packaging: Five pneumatic I/O ports, each capable of 7 actions, and three swappable pump modules (small, medium, large) can satisfy different needs for pressures (-26 to 30 psi), size, and flow-rates. FlowIO with small pumps has dimensions 59x55x28 mm and mass of only 114g. Expansion modules and accessories enable additional sensing, control, and mounting options for both wearable and nonwearable applications. BLE Capability, multiple APIs, and a GUI enable diverse options for interacting with FlowIO.
Tags: Development Platform, Toolkit, Pneumatic Control System, Soft Robotics, Programmable Materials, Shape Change, Tangible User Interface, Wearables, Arduino, Raspberry Pi
Production Technology: FlowIO contains a main module, different pump modules, expansion modules, and accessories. The main module integrates 7 valves, 2 custom PCBs, sensors, microcontroller, and a battery with charger. Each pump module has 2 pumps, a custom PCB, and a battery with integrated charger. Auxiliary modules also consist of custom PCBs. The modules connect magnetically and are enclosed in 3D-printed snap-fit enclosures, that can be printed in any color. All hardware designs are made public and open-source.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was making FlowIO highly energy-efficient and miniaturized yet fully-integrated with pumps, valves, sensors, electronics, batteries. and even charging circuits. Other pneumatic platforms with far fewer capabilities are 5-10 times larger than FlowIO and they still require external pumps and/or power sources. Over a dozen design iterations were dedicated towards finding clever ways of reducing size. Developing multiple APIs and a cross-platform GUI was another major challenge.
Research: Over a dozen people have used FlowIO to date, from PhD researchers and high-school students to makers and artists. It has enabled people to develop projects in various categories including interactivity, artistic expression, locomotion, telepresence, haptic feedback, and assistive technologies. Feedback was collected from existing and prospective users continuously to inform many of the design iterations. FlowIO was also used as a teaching tool in a graduate digital fabrication course at MIT.
Inspiration: Arduino and Raspberry Pi democratized electronics and computing. FlowIO aims to democratize soft robotics and programmable materials in a similar way. The lack of development platforms for soft robotics makes the field highly inaccessible for most people and stifles innovation. The FlowIO platform was developed with the goal to democratized the emerging field of soft robotics and make rapid prototyping more accessible for researchers, artists, designers, and makers.
Project Duration: FlowIO originated out of necessity as a system I made for my own research in soft robotics and morphable interfaces at MIT Media Lab. As many other researchers, makers, and artists showed strong interest and asked to use FlowIO in their own works, in late 2019 the idea was born to augment FlowIO into a truly general purpose pneumatics development platform suitable for everyone. FlowIO has now undergone over 20 prototype iterations, with numerous new features added during those iterations.
Operation Flow: FlowIO enables users to rapidly bring soft robotics projects to life and to focus on developing actuators and experiences instead of spending time designing pneumatics, electronics, or writing control software. Miniature size, battery operation, and various modules and accessories make FlowIO suitable for both desktop and wearable applications involving inflation, vacuum, release, pressure sense, and flow variability. Multiple APIs and GUI make it possible for anyone to use the device with ease.
Team Members: Ali Shtarbanov
Hyejun Youn
Ozgun Afsar
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Paradiso of MIT Media Lab
Image Credits: Ali Shtarbanov