PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje by Hye Jun Youn

PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje by Hye Jun Youn is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 A' Design Award yn Brûns in Ûnderwiis, Learmiddelen en Trainingsynhâld Ûntwerp Competition Category.

BrûnsÛnderwiis· 2022

PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje

by Hye Jun Youn

Client: PneuBots

A' Design Award yn Brûns Winner in Ûnderwiis Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #137958

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje

PneuBots is in modulêre sêfte-robotika-konstruksjesetsje foar leare en kreatyf meitsjen. De setsje befettet sân typen selsfâldzjende segminten, trije typen pneumatyske connectors en splitters, en in oanpast doaske fan 200 by 70 by 100 millimeter. Elke module is makke fan twa lagen PVC-film dy't lâns origami-ynspireare patroanen ôfsletten binne mei CNC-freezjen en waarmpersjen. De modules krimpe, krulle of bûge as se opblaasd wurde troch mûndlike opblaasklepen. De setsje ferleget de drompel foar keunstners, ûntwerpers, yngenieurs en makkers dy't sêfte robotika ûntdekke wolle.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Brûns

PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Brûns, in heech prestisjeuze erkenning foar treflike ûntwerpen dy't har ûnderskiede troch kreativiteit, fernuft en tûkens. Brûnswinners binne tige feardige en opfallend kreative artefakten dy't de grutte ûnderfining, ferbylding en betochtsumens fan har ûntwerpers befêstigje. Fan PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige heech achte, bewûndere en dierber objekt is dat opmerklik profesjoneel en ynnovatyf is. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Brûns yntegrearret de bêste praktiken yn keunst, wittenskip, ûntwerp en technology en is treflik om syn omtinken foar detail. PneuBots Sêfte Robotika Konstruksjesetsje foldocht behoeften prachtich, reitsjet winsken, betsjoeveret gefoelens en sprekt nijsgjirrigens oan.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: PneuBots is a modular soft robotics construction kit consisting of seven types of self-foldable, quasi-inextensible segments, three types of pneumatic connectors and splitters, and a custom-designed box. The kit enables various assemblies to be made with the modular pieces, allowing creators to explore the world of soft robotics in playful ways.
Dimensions & Packaging: Toolkit Box, 200 mm x 70 mm x 100 mm
Tags: Soft Robotics, Construction kit, Pneumatics, Shape changing, Learning, Playful, Design, Art, Interactivity, Education
Production Technology: The modules of PneuBots were developed by a heat-pressing fabrication process, where two layers of PVC film were sandwiched together and then sealed along specific origami-inspired patterns. The CNC-milling plus heat pressing fabrication method achieves an accurate and smooth geometric pattern without wrinkles. Each PneuBots module has between one and five pneumatic ports with oral-inflation-valves. Modules can be connected to each other using three types of pneumatic connectors: Straight-shaped, T-shaped, and Cross-shaped.
Design Challenge: Some feedback from users mentioned the smooth surface of PVC film. Since the inflated modular blocks are slippery, the smooth texture may not be ideal for an interaction with objects with surface. Therefore, to extend PneuBots’ functionality, we are planning to create a layer of cloth such as an auxetic structure to generate friction between modules for more stable mobility. We will also eventually broaden the scope of our work to include more diversity in modular block design, and we are currently gathering data to determine the appropriate number of modular blocks to include in our basic package.
Research: A mixed method comprising of interviews and existing product reviews were used. The initial target user group was consisted of graduate students who are new to this field. Over the course of developing this project, we informally interacted with 20 graduate students from design and engineering background who provided feedback about the behaviors and interactions they want to achieve with soft robotic design concepts, and who also shared some of the barriers and obstacles that prevented them from realizing their goals.
Inspiration: Soft robotics is an emerging field with a very high potential for impact, which is also of strong interest to the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Haptic communities. Yet the barriers to entry for most makers are still very high, and they are even greater for those who come from nontechnical backgrounds. A constructive assembly kit in combination with carefully curated informational resources could significantly reduce the barrier to entry.
Project Duration: The project started in June 2021 in Korea and finished in January 2022 in the US.
Operation Flow: Seven PneuBots modules with different actuation patterns including shrinking, curling and bending were designed. There are three working shapes: line, diagonal, and diamond. A linear seam with a 5mm gap in the middle results in a shrinking mechanism. The diamond shape-hinge serves as the bending angle control. The diagonal line with a 5mm gap serves as the curling control. PneuBots allows seamless programmability of the different assemblies, enabling artists, designers, engineers, and makers to create dynamic, shape-changing, and interactive works that can be used for education, storytelling, and dynamic art.
Team Members: Hye Jun Youn, Ali Shtarbanov and Jooyoung Youn