Jamming Formations Intuitive design and fabrication process through human-computer interaction

Abstract

This paper examines the potential of User Interfaces (UI) and sensor feedback to develop an intuitive design and fabrication process utilizing granular jamming. By taking advantage of the variable stiffness of granular jamming over time, an adaptive fabrication process is presented in which various structures are formed from individual jammed components which can weave or interlock in an overall system. A User Interface (UI) is developed as a design tool which would enable interactive design decisions and operations, based on pre-designed formal and tectonic strategies. The project has four research trajectories that are developed in parallel: (1) material system research; (2) development of an ad hoc digital recording system; (3) creation of a computational library that stores users` iterations; and (4) development of a User Interface (UI) that enables users' interaction with the computational library.