PneuBots Soft Robotics by Hye Jun Youn |
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| DESIGN NAME: PneuBots PRIMARY FUNCTION: Soft Robotics 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. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 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. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: 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. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in June 2021 in Korea and finished in January 2022 in the US. |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION 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-valve SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Toolkit Box, 200 mm x 70 mm x 100 mm TAGS: Soft Robotics, Construction kit, Pneumatics, Shape changing, Learning, Playful, Design, Art, Interactivity, Education RESEARCH ABSTRACT: 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. 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. ADDED DATE: 2022-02-28 07:16:15 TEAM MEMBERS (3) : Hye Jun Youn, Ali Shtarbanov and Jooyoung Youn IMAGE CREDITS: Hye Jun Youn, 2021. |
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NAME: PneuBots PROFILE: The kit allowing creators to explore the world of soft robotics in playful ways. PneuBots allows seamless programmability of the different assemblies, enabling artists, designers, engineers, and makers to create dynamic, shape-changing, and interactive works including wearables, modular board games, creative art installations, simple robots, and much more. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Pneubots Soft Robotics by Hye Jun Youn is Runner-up for A' Design Award in Education, Teaching Aid and Training Content Design Category, 2021 - 2022.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Hye Jun Youn. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Hye Jun Youn. |
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