Groupwork

Our team learned a lot about each other today.  I was even able to learn a bit about myself.  It was brought to my attention that, up until now, many team members felt as if they were executing my projects, as opposed to working on a collaborative project.  Over the past couple of weeks, our team has designed and brought many ideas to the table, and my idea was generally the one that moved on when we had to pick one for presentation.  The system we had set up left very little room for collaboration, because, by the time we chose an idea it was too late to make big changes.  On top of that, I would fight endlessly for my idea, leaving other group members feeling as if they were in an endless argument.

Today, we managed to actually make a team compromise.  We kept the same primary functions, but agreed to a new form that served those functions better.  We each started to acknowledge our own skills as teammates:  Jason and I took the lead in redesigning the functioning mechanisms.  Chris and Bethany worked through the Arduino code.  Alex brought forward the new form design and rhino file for making the parts.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting images of the prototype building process.

Urban Gardens - exploring new spaces

Working in a team is inspiring.  Today, I started sketching and ideating an hour before our small group meeting.  I got really down on our concept, since I felt there was nothing "smart" about the surface(s) we were designing.  My teammates' definitions for "smart" were much more open for interpretation.  They were quick to stop me for dismissing an idea far before it was worth dismissing.

We made good progress today, developing ideas and forms for miniature greenhouses.  Alex suggested that we find unexpected/unused spaces in cities to place them.  We started with outside an apartment window.  Then, we moved to rooftops, sidewalks, and even to stringing them between buildings.  Imagine the spectacle of tiny polygonal globes suspended like lights throughout the city.

And what about in the winter?  We played with insulation, sunlight, ventilation, and protection from the elements.  We considered how nesting similar forms could solve these problems.  Below is a drawing of an icosahedron, and what it would look like mounted to the outside of a building.

First week, First critique

Our first week of SmartSurfaces is complete, and the second week is already well-underway.  Our team is excitedly moving forward with a positive, helpful critique and workshop under our belts.

The critique was really more a series of suggestions and possibilities for what our project could become.  Some of the key points that came out during the critique were:

1. Consider using natural material properties to operate otherwise mechanically-complex mechanisms.  How could scale have an impact on this?  For example, a much smaller version of this project could curl up by placing a droplet of water on it.

2. Maybe the form doesn't need to close entirely into a spheroid.  Consider alternating the direction of the folding/buckling to create a more open environment.  Create an undulating surface as opposed to a closed-off sphere.

3. How can we make it simpler?  Currently the cable system is complex, finicky, and potentially expensive to build (there is a lot of stress built up in the cable tracks).  Can we achieve the same motion with less material and simpler mechanisms?

4. The project is "fascinating" so far.  I think that Karl meant that he felt we were on to something with playing with polyhedra, their nets, and the themes of "collection".

Our reverse-brainstorming session helped our group realize that we are all interested in the implementation of vegetative life in urban environments.  So, we are now applying this form to urban environments, and considering how we could make a "smart" urban garden.  How could the urban garden observe and respond to its environment?  What could be exposed?  What curves should we create or cover with shapes?

A note on groupwork and team efficiency:  Last week we stayed up way too late way too many nights.  Most of that time was spent building the mechanical system that failed anyways.  Yet, our project was still well-received.  I think we should reevaluate how we spend our time.  Also, I think we need to be more honest to ourselves about what is plausible with the materials we are given.  This week, we are separating into two subgroups for the first couple days.  This way we can come together with some models and at least two fleshed-out potential projects.  Then, we can choose one and spend the remaining 75% of our time bringing it to reality.

Polyhedra and Scales

Today our group moved forward to explore our fascination with Polyhedra and Scales - shapes that can cover curved surfaces efficiently.  Here is Jason playing with a variety of forms.

We are mostly interested in the flexibility of these shapes.  How can we fold them, twist them, or turn them inside out?  How can these motions expose something or expose part of the shape itself?  Take the Pentagonal Hexecontahedron, for example.  Here is the net of the form, laser-cut and partially-assembled.

And here is a drawing of what I could imagine exposing.  Consider the thickness of the material, layer it up, apply a bevel so it can fold into its complete form.  Then, turn it inside-out, exposing the seams.

We also continued to explore the application of segments of these polyhedra.  Here, Chris shows how a group of five pentagons can articulate.

Unfortunately, the inspiration and excitement from finding forms that satisfy our criteria is starting to wear off, as we desperately search for a world-changing application.  This methodology seems backwards to me.  We've found something fascinating that seems to have great potential, and now we are searching for a problem that it, or some derivation of it, can solve.

The Pangolin

I named this blog after the pangolin because I find this creature fascinating and adorable.

A pangolin is a nocturnal mammal that, in a non-scientific sense, is an anteater with scales.  By "non-scientific" I mean that the pangolin is not closely-related to the anteater.  The similarity in behavior, diet, and physical features is most likely due to convergent evolution.

The pangolin is a well-equipped animal.  Its scales are razor sharp and hard, allowing it to either lash out at predators or curl up into an impenetrable ball.  It secretes a foul-smelling fluid, which works to ward off predators, and also to mark a trail to return to its burrow.  When feeding, the pangolin uses its powerful forearms and sharp claws to open termite mounds, then a long tongue to collect the insects.  Interestingly, the claws are so large that the animal is forced to walk on its fists.  When it is in a hurry, it can stand up and run on its hind legs, using its tail for balance.

Here are some more informative pages on the pangolin:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/eutheria/pholidota.html
http://www.pangolin.com/PangolinPic.html
http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/pangolins/ground_pangolin.html
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/mammals/pholidota/manis_temminckii.htm

and a good video of pangolin movement and behavior:
http://www.arkive.org/ground-pangolin/smutsia-temminckii/video-00.html

The scales of a pangolin offer an interesting way to look at how shapes can cover curved surfaces.  The animal is very flexible despite its tough armor, allowing it to move, dig, climb, and defend itself.  How can a similar scale structure be used to create shelters that are flexible, modular, and durable?

SmartSurfaces, Biomimetics, and Pandora

Hi, and welcome to my first blog experience.  This blog comes as a class requirement for SmartSurfaces.  It is a transdisciplinary, hands-on, think-tank of artists, designers, architects, and material scientists from the University of Michigan.

A "Smart Surface" is a boundary object that can observe, interpret, and respond to the environments that it separates.  Biomimetics is the design application of systems and processes found in nature.  Pandora is the first woman in Greek mythology.  The gods gave her many gifts, including the famous "Pandora's box".  The contents were mysterious.  Hope was inside.

What if Pandora's box was simply a reference to Earth itself?