307 research outputs found
Flora robotica -- An Architectural System Combining Living Natural Plants and Distributed Robots
Key to our project flora robotica is the idea of creating a bio-hybrid system
of tightly coupled natural plants and distributed robots to grow architectural
artifacts and spaces. Our motivation with this ground research project is to
lay a principled foundation towards the design and implementation of living
architectural systems that provide functionalities beyond those of orthodox
building practice, such as self-repair, material accumulation and
self-organization. Plants and robots work together to create a living organism
that is inhabited by human beings. User-defined design objectives help to steer
the directional growth of the plants, but also the system's interactions with
its inhabitants determine locations where growth is prohibited or desired
(e.g., partitions, windows, occupiable space). We report our plant species
selection process and aspects of living architecture. A leitmotif of our
project is the rich concept of braiding: braids are produced by robots from
continuous material and serve as both scaffolds and initial architectural
artifacts before plants take over and grow the desired architecture. We use
light and hormones as attraction stimuli and far-red light as repelling
stimulus to influence the plants. Applied sensors range from simple proximity
sensing to detect the presence of plants to sophisticated sensing technology,
such as electrophysiology and measurements of sap flow. We conclude by
discussing our anticipated final demonstrator that integrates key features of
flora robotica, such as the continuous growth process of architectural
artifacts and self-repair of living architecture.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure
Automated sequence and motion planning for robotic spatial extrusion of 3D trusses
While robotic spatial extrusion has demonstrated a new and efficient means to
fabricate 3D truss structures in architectural scale, a major challenge remains
in automatically planning extrusion sequence and robotic motion for trusses
with unconstrained topologies. This paper presents the first attempt in the
field to rigorously formulate the extrusion sequence and motion planning (SAMP)
problem, using a CSP encoding. Furthermore, this research proposes a new
hierarchical planning framework to solve the extrusion SAMP problems that
usually have a long planning horizon and 3D configuration complexity. By
decoupling sequence and motion planning, the planning framework is able to
efficiently solve the extrusion sequence, end-effector poses, joint
configurations, and transition trajectories for spatial trusses with
nonstandard topologies. This paper also presents the first detailed computation
data to reveal the runtime bottleneck on solving SAMP problems, which provides
insight and comparing baseline for future algorithmic development. Together
with the algorithmic results, this paper also presents an open-source and
modularized software implementation called Choreo that is machine-agnostic. To
demonstrate the power of this algorithmic framework, three case studies,
including real fabrication and simulation results, are presented.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figure
Discrete Robotic Assemblies
The projects featured in this paper aim to demonstrate the potential of Discrete Robotic Assembly in architecture. Although still in its early stages, this research proves that there is an increase in construction efficiency within a discrete design framework. The research shows how a limited set of assembly possibilities eases the automation of the manufacturing process and leads to a reduction of labour, construction time, and cost. This intrinsic link between discrete design methods and automation hints at a potential shift in the construction industry governed by a new paradigm in computational design, where architectural elements are defined from and for automation
ReciprocalShell: A hybrid timber system for robotically-fabricated lightweight shell structures
Reciprocal timber systems have been widely studied, however they have never been directly applied to the segmented timber shell structures as cross bracing of the polygonal topologies. For the first time, this paper presents an innovative hybrid timber system developed for design and construction of the robotically-fabricated lightweight timber shell structures. The paper integrates two configurations of wood beams: polygonal framing and reciprocal bracing. While, the polygonal topology of facets enables a constant distance offset for the thickness of the shell, the reciprocal configuration allows for cross bracing of polygonal frames where diagonals within the polygons cannot directly connect corners due to geometric constraints resulted by the free-form surface structure of shell shapes. Joining the cross-bracing elements in the center of the polygons with a reciprocal node reduces the complexity of the connection system at nodes while demonstrating the high load-bearing capacity of joints to withstand structural loads throughout the structure, compared to connecting 5, 6 or 7 beams in a single point. The article discusses the application and limitations of the timber system while presenting the design-to-assembly process of a case study of the small-scale shell demonstrator with the maximum span of 7.5 meters made of 144 wood elements for each polygonal and reciprocal configurations. The results show that the timber system has a great capacity for the rapid and precise assembly and disassembly of prefabricated timber structures. Generation of similar but different solid elements, allowed for the development of a custom CAD data interface for the automated production of numerous pieces, where simple joint details are applied for both alignment and attachment of beams, reducing the design complexity and facilitate the construction phase. As the result, the fabrication process was completely carried out with only a saw blade in a multi-axis robotic fabrication set up that enables the rapid, precise, and accurate cuts and grooves. Both timber configurations generate a uniform distribution of beam size, meaning that the production process created only a minimal amount of offcuts that allows for the use of simple and cost-efficient, short solid wood pieces
Discovery of Stable and Selective Antibody Mimetics from Combinatorial Libraries of Polyvalent, Loop-Functionalized Peptoid Nanosheets.
The ability of antibodies to bind a wide variety of analytes with high specificity and high affinity makes them ideal candidates for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. However, the poor stability and high production cost of antibodies have prompted exploration of a variety of synthetic materials capable of specific molecular recognition. Unfortunately, it remains a fundamental challenge to create a chemically diverse population of protein-like, folded synthetic nanostructures with defined molecular conformations in water. Here we report the synthesis and screening of combinatorial libraries of sequence-defined peptoid polymers engineered to fold into ordered, supramolecular nanosheets displaying a high spatial density of diverse, conformationally constrained peptoid loops on their surface. These polyvalent, loop-functionalized nanosheets were screened using a homogeneous Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay for binding to a variety of protein targets. Peptoid sequences were identified that bound to the heptameric protein, anthrax protective antigen, with high avidity and selectivity. These nanosheets were shown to be resistant to proteolytic degradation, and the binding was shown to be dependent on the loop display density. This work demonstrates that key aspects of antibody structure and function-the creation of multivalent, combinatorial chemical diversity within a well-defined folded structure-can be realized with completely synthetic materials. This approach enables the rapid discovery of biomimetic affinity reagents that combine the durability of synthetic materials with the specificity of biomolecular materials
The Evolution of 3D Printing in AEC: From Experimental to Consolidated Techniques
The chapter leads the reader through the historical development of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques until the most recent developments. A tentative taxonomy is added to the historical perspective, in order to better understand the main lines of development and the potential cross-fertilization opportunities. Some case studies are analyzed in order to provide a clearer picture of the practical applications of AM in architecture engineering and construction (AEC), with a particular attention to the use of AM for final products rather than just prototypes. Eventually, some thoughts are shared as to the impact of AM on AEC beyond the mere cost-effectiveness and well into the potential change of paradigms in how architecture can be thought of and further developed embracing the new world of opportunities brought by AM
Design Transactions
Design Transactions presents the outcome of new research to emerge from ‘Innochain’, a consortium of six leading European architectural and engineering-focused institutions and their industry partners. The book presents new advances in digital design tooling that challenge established building cultures and systems. It offers new sustainable and materially smart design solutions with a strong focus on changing the way the industry thinks, designs, and builds our physical environment.
Divided into sections exploring communication, simulation and materialisation, Design Transactions explores digital and physical prototyping and testing that challenges the traditional linear construction methods of incremental refinement. This novel research investigates ‘the digital chain’ between phases as an opportunity for extended interdisciplinary design collaboration. The highly illustrated book features work from 15 early-stage researchers alongside chapters from world-leading industry collaborators and academics
Design Transactions: Rethinking Information for a New Material Age
Design Transactions presents the outcome of new research to emerge from ‘Innochain’, a consortium of six leading European architectural and engineering-focused institutions and their industry partners. The book presents new advances in digital design tooling that challenge established building cultures and systems. It offers new sustainable and materially smart design solutions with a strong focus on changing the way the industry thinks, designs, and builds our physical environment.
Divided into sections exploring communication, simulation and materialisation, Design Transactions explores digital and physical prototyping and testing that challenges the traditional linear construction methods of incremental refinement. This novel research investigates ‘the digital chain’ between phases as an opportunity for extended interdisciplinary design collaboration. The highly illustrated book features work from 15 early-stage researchers alongside chapters from world-leading industry collaborators and academics
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