Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif by Weijia Lin and Shuyue Feng

Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif by Weijia Lin and Shuyue Feng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award Perak in Rekayasa Competition Category.

PerakRekayasa· 2023

Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif

by Weijia Lin and Shuyue Feng

Client: Zhejiang University

A' Design Award Perak Winner in Rekayasa Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #148666

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif

Mechcircuit adolah sistem prototipe untuak alat interaktif nan manggabuangkan sirkuit elektronik jo struktur mekanis. Magnet neodymium basifaik magnetik sarato konduktif, jadi inyo bafungsi sabagai sandi nan bagarak sakaligus sambuangan listrik. Garak putaran jo garak lurus dapek dicapai tanpa suku cadang mekanis tradisional. Kabel jo solder digantikan dek magnet jo lubang hasil potongan laser, sahinggo bagian-bagian dapek disambuangkan jo diubah jo capek. Prototipe dipotong dari lembaran akrilik 2 mm, dan tinta perak konduktif mambantuak sirkuiknyo. Perangkat lunak desain babantuan komputer mambantu pangguno nan indak ahli.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Perak

Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif adolah pamenang A' Design Award Perak, sabuah pangakuan nan luar biaso bapresti nan dibarikan ka rancangan tingkaik tatinggi, elok jo mangesankan. Pamenang Perak adolah karya nan sangaik cemerlang jo sangaik kreatif nan mamparlihatkan kapakaran, bakaik jo katajaman pikiran parancangnyo. Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif dipaokan manjadi karya nan mangaguikan, contoh tauladan, sangaik profesional jo inovatif sacaro dalam. Rancangan nan manang Perak iko adolah panemuan nan nampak jo dikagumi nan mambari sumbangan untuak maluaskan batas seni, ilimu, rancangan jo teknologi. Mechcircuit Sistem Prototipe Interaktif adolah ciptaan nan dicamburui banyak urang, nan mambangkikkan karinduan, mambaok parasaan positif jo malahiakan karagumon jo kakaguman.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

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
Team Members: Weijia Lin
Shuyue Feng
Jiayu Yao
Jiayi Ma
Masulani Bokola
Ziyu Fang
Guanyun Wang
Cheng Yao