Boronse Thuto · 2022
PneuBots Mosebetsi o ka Sehlooho: Sethchina sa ho Aha Robotics e Bonolo
by Hye Jun Youn
- Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award 2022 in Thuto
- CLIENT: PneuBots
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 27,133
- Verification code 25543DF3A1 · Verify this award
Colors
About PneuBots Mosebetsi o ka Sehlooho: Sethchina sa ho Aha Robotics e Bonolo
Buka e Ngotsweng: PneuBots ke sethchina sa ho aha robotics e bonolo (soft robotics) se nang le dikarolo tse ngata, se etselitsweng ho ithuta le ho etsa ka bokgabane. Sethchina sena se na le mefuta e supileng ya dikotwana tse ikgomarelang ka bokgabane (self-foldable segments), mefuta e meraro ya dihokahanyo le dikarohanyo tsa moya (pneumatic connectors and splitters), le lebokose le entsweng ka tlhoko le nang le boholo ba dimilimithara tse 200 ka 70 ka 100. Karolo ye nngwe le ye nngwe e entswe ka mekgahlelo e mmedi ya filimi ya PVC e kwallweng ho latela mekgwa e tsoswang ke origami, ho sebediswa CNC milling le ho hatella ka mocheso (heat pressing). Dikarolo tsena di a fokotseha, di kobehe kapa di sikaseke ha di lla-tswa ka moya ka lithapo tsa ho phehella ka molomo (oral inflation valves). Sethina sena se fokotsa dikgoreletso tsa ho kena ho baetsi ba bonono, badisaenara, baenjiniere le baetsi ba bang ba batlang ho hlahloba lefapha la robotics e bonolo.
About the Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award
PneuBots Mosebetsi o ka Sehlooho: Sethchina sa ho Aha Robotics e Bonolo ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang haholo e fuoang meralo e ikhethang e tsejoang ka boqapi, bohlale ba ho qapa le bohlale. Bahapi ba Boronse ke lintho tse nang le bokhoni ka ho felletseng le boqapi bo hlollang tse tiisang boiphihlelo bo bongata, mohopolo le bokhoni ba ho iphumana ba baqapi ba tsona. PneuBots Mosebetsi o ka Sehlooho: Sethchina sa ho Aha Robotics e Bonolo e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e nang le boprofeshenale bo bonahalang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Boronse oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa bonong, mahlaleng, moralong le theknolojing mme o hlahella ka ho tsepamisa maikutlo lintlheng tse nyenyane. PneuBots Mosebetsi o ka Sehlooho: Sethchina sa ho Aha Robotics e Bonolo e kutloisisa litlhoko hantle, e ama litakatso, e hapa maikutlo mme e tsosa takatso ea ho tseba.
Press Kit
- 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.
