PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники by Hye Jun Youn

PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники by Hye Jun Youn is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2022 Бронзовая премия A' Design Award in Дизайн образования, учебных пособий и обучающего контента Competition Category.

БронзоваяОбразование· 2022

PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники

by Hye Jun Youn

Client: PneuBots

Бронзовая премия A' Design Award Winner in Образование Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники

PneuBots — это модульный конструктор для мягкой робототехники, предназначенный для обучения и творческого моделирования. В набор входят семь типов самоскладывающихся сегментов, три типа пневматических коннекторов и разветвителей, а также специальная коробка размером 200 на 70 на 100 миллиметров. Каждый модуль изготовлен из двух слоёв ПВХ-плёнки, спаянных по контурам узоров, вдохновлённых оригами, с применением фрезерования на станках с ЧПУ и термопрессования. При надувании через ротовые надувные клапаны модули сжимаются, скручиваются или изгибаются. Набор снижает порог вхождения для художников, дизайнеров, инженеров и мейкеров, желающих освоить мягкую робототехнику.

The Recognition

About the Бронзовая премия A' Design Award

PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники — лауреат Бронзовой премии A' Design Award, весьма престижного признания, присуждаемого выдающимся проектам, отличающимся творческим подходом, изобретательностью и сообразительностью. Обладатели Бронзовой премии — это в полной мере искусные и поразительно творческие произведения, свидетельствующие об огромном опыте, воображении и находчивости их авторов. Ожидается, что PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники станет высокоценимым, вызывающим восхищение и дорогим сердцу объектом, заметно профессиональным и инновационным. Этот проект, получивший Бронзовую премию A' Design Award, воплощает лучшие практики в искусстве, науке, дизайне и технологиях и превосходен вниманием к деталям. PneuBots Конструктор для мягкой робототехники прекрасно удовлетворяет потребности, затрагивает желания, очаровывает чувства и пробуждает любопытство.

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