M1.1 · Material-Driven Design
Aqua-morph
Shape-changing hydrogel structures, 3D printed. A study in the aesthetics of movement.
A printing method for soft movement
We developed a 3D printing method that combines flexible TPU filament with hydrogel beads. The print pauses before the final layers close, the beads go in, and the structure is sealed. Once submerged in water, the beads expand and actuate the structure. Bending, twisting, stretching, all programmed into the object by design.
What movement can express
With my teammates I explored eight bio-inspired motions and collected them into a motion database, asking what soft robotic movement can express, not just what it can do. We condensed the process into a step-by-step design manual, so other designers can fabricate their own soft actuator. Our demonstrator: a curtain module that changes shape when it rains.
