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12. Soft robotics

This week was about discovering soft robotics and it was quite funny to experimente it :)

INSPIRATION

Picture

  • I found very interesting to create sustainable interactive surface like this one. I think it can create a very original way to enlight a room/space. Oriagmi mixes with shapes and shades. Maybe this kind of system could be nice in a discotheque too!

  • For medecine research it's great! Hope it can help heal diseases... and create new kind of amputations.

Examples

  • TPU filament : interesting to create flexibility and avoid breaking ridig objects. Also can be used at the end of a plug socket to avoid mixed threads. And why not try to create flexible tyres ? To have only one kind of tyre for all season and explore ground resistence.

EXPERIMENTATION

Demo from the class

Experimentation with thermo iron vinyl :)

Materials :

  • transparent paper

  • vinyl paper

  • tube

  • skrinking tube

  • iron

  • pump

  • scissors

  • lighter

Steps :

  • draw my flower on a transparent paper then cut it

  • take some vinyl paper (enough big to cover my flower)

  • put the flower between the 2 vinyl paper and hit it (be careful it doesn't burn)

  • cut the angle of the tube and insert it in a skrinking tube

  • enter the tube onto the 2 papers, where the stem of the flower is.

  • with a pump, press to make air and pression.

SILICONE MOLDS

Materials

  • 3D printed mold

  • silicon 1:1

  • silicon 20:1

  • dehydrator

  • Silicon Rubber R PRO 30 from RESCHIMICA

  • platinum catalyst 1:1

  • plastic paper (to put under printed mold)

Steps

  • We used the 3D printed mold from last year Fabricademy to try out the silicon robotics

  • Casting of the silicon (1:1 silicon:activator), one day until dry

  • remove the mold.

We used Silicon Rubber R PRO30 from RESCHIMICA (for mold making) with base + platinum catalyst 1:1. It was very long to dry so we used our dehydrator (temp around 40°C).

Note : don't mix silicons they won't stick together (see picture).

Testing the grip with an air pump (DC motor) and Arduino

BLINK function

Video from Louise

via GIPHY

Results : the chambers didn't work on this one except for the only bubble at the end of one arm. I think the chambers weren't properly closed and maybe the air pump was strong enough.

Last update: 2022-08-22