8. Soft robotics¶

Research¶

The Heat Press¶

Make sure to leave a big enough gap for vinyl or TPU to fuse together.
Measure the straw / airpump width and make sure it is the right size within your design.
When using the heatpress, don't forget to layer a full sheet of baking paper above and below your inflatable design.

Prototyping¶

Now that I understood the basics of the heatpress and vinyl, I thought about prototyping a design inspired by Igna Kovalerova↗. I decided to experiment with TPU because I was struggling with some small experiments in getting the vinyl to stick. I also preferred the aesthetic and felxability of the TPU.

AN ANTI-ANXIETY PRESSURISED CUFF [Prototype]

Psychological and Emotional Effects of Pulsing Pressure¶

Pulsing pressure and gentle squeezing (especially around the arm or torso) can meaningfully influence mental health and anxiety through both neurophysiological and psychological mechanisms.

Rhythmic pressure = Physiological Calming

Rhythmic pulsing can mimic comforting human touch. It sometimes resembles the pattern of breathing, heartbeat, or gentle hugging. This is all associated with co-regulation in humans.
The body interprets it as a social safety cue. Providing emotional reassurance, reduced loneliness and enhanced self-soothing.
The pulsing creates a somatic focus, anchoring attention to the body and redirecting attention away from racing thoughts or anxiety loops.
This aligns with mindfulness and interoceptive awareness. Grounding the person in their physical sensations.
Rhythmic entrainment. Slow, rhythmic pulsing can entrain breathing and heart rate, supporting a coherent autonomic rhythm similar to slow breathing exercises.

I was struggling for inspiration for this week as I tried to think about Soft Robotics purpose, especially when it came to incorporating it into my wearable pieces. That was until I started researching the benefits of pressure to mental health and anxiety. Pressure touch, triggers oxytocin release which acts as a natural anti-anxiety and anti-stress modulator. Therefore, providing huge potential for soft robotics within fashion for people in need of these natural remedies.

Janne Kreimer's Wearable Technology↗.

Janne Kreimer designed a therapeutic vest that's wrapped with soft robots. These inflatable soft robots around a waistcoat combine exposure therapy with modern technology to address anxiety. The RO vest is crafted from TPU-coated nylon fabric, and gentle inflation is added or triggered to stimulate the acupressure points.

Improving my Prototype¶

My aim now was to refine the design, still taking inspiration from Igna Kovalerova↗ and now considering a design that covered more surface area. Still working with the idea of making a pressurised cuff, I wanted to make it larger to cover the whole forearm. I feel the greater the amount of pressured touch, the bigger the Psychological and Emotional effect my garment could have. Follow my design process within Rhino3D to make a more accurate and refined design.

I made a 1.5mm offset to ensure enough space for strong seams. The welding on the lasercutter was not reliable enough to seal the edges so that is why I continued with the baking paper and heat press process.

Lasercut Process¶

Sadly our pulsing arduino board stopped working so my pulsing cuff wasn't as effective. That being said I was happy with the outcome and liked how it styled as a cuff. In the future I will make the air pockets larger, to give them more volume and make them more dynamic and impactful.

Refining the Pressurised Cuff¶

Building on the idea of a pressurised cuff / bracelet, I made a totally new design. This time focusing on the shape, when it's in collaboration with the air. Looking at Janne Kreimer and Saskia Helinska's work, circles seemed to create the most dynamic and pronounced shape. I designed a very simple bracelet, to place around your pulse. These circles were much more effective and I was really happy with the outcome. If I were to continue this in the future, I will focus more on the practicality and functionality of the design as a pulsing bracelet.

Experimenting with Other Materials¶

1. A Fish Skin Inflatable¶

Made from our ethanol and glycerine tanned salmon skin. Folded and sewn together like a little pillow. In collaboration with Johanna.

A PUFFER FISH...

I was really happy with how this turned out. I was expecting to have to seal the seams with something like silicone or alginate to ensure the air wouldn't escape but the seams were strong enough. It made a really sweet and strong little inflatable. I think this definitely has potential to be something more.

We tried adding some gill-like stitching to make a more dynamic shape but it wasn't hugely successful. I think it would've worked much better with just one stitch down the middle. Something to consider further down the line. I tried sealing the middle seams with wax, incase the holes were the issue.

2. Alginate Inflatables¶

Recipe :

12g alginate
40g glycerine
400ml water
100ml water
10ml sodium chloride hydrate

3. Silicone Moulds¶

4. Gelatine Actuators¶

[Gelatine made by Maddie↗]

80 g gelatin
80 g glycerine
300 ml water

THE PROCESS :

For the future, I think they need to be cast thinner and seams need to be stronger. Only one of the outcomes worked, and it needed a lot of air.

5. 3D Printing and Hydrogels¶

Based on AquaMorph project by Yaya Huang. The actuator is made from 3D printed TPU filled with hydrogel balls, the expansion of the balls causes the TPU to twist and bend. I didn't have much to do with this experiment but it was interesting to watch and understand.

---¶

Fabrication files¶

File: Green Lasercut Pattern PDF