MacroBot _ Macro Scale Protein Folding

May 20, 2009 in Coded Assembly, Growth Structure, Installation, MIT, Media Lab, MilliBiology, Programmable Matter, self assembly

Videos @ MacroBot – Videos
More process images @ MacroBot – Process
The MacroBot project is part of the MilliBiology team research at MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, under Neil Gershenfeld.
Project Team: Kenny Cheung, Ara Knaian, Scott Greenwald, Forest Green, Keywon Chung, David Dalrymple, Taro Narahara
Many Thanks : Steffen Reichert, Jonathan Ward, Max Lobovsky, Veronica Emig, [...]

Coded Assembly Progress_090329

March 30, 2009 in AVR microcontroller, Analog Electronics, Digital Electronics, Growth Structure, Installation, MIT, Media Lab, Recursive growth, self assembly

A progress report on the quest for coded assembly.  A first mock-up of chain assembly  (only 3 units of thousands) and one that is finally alive (although barely breathing!).  A number of earlier studies below and more to come in the following weeks.  Many thanks to Kenny Cheung, Jonathan Ward, Max Lobovsky, Steffen Reichert and many others.

The movement, [...]

Self-Assembly Units 081216

December 16, 2008 in AVR microcontroller, Analog Electronics, Component Manipulation, Digital Electronics, Growth Structure, Media Lab, self assembly

 
Images from the final prototype.
Successes:
-Working continuous servo motor, controlled through potentiometers
-Working electromagnets for latching mechanism per edge
-Working, soldered and printed circuit board
-Programmed AVR  microcontroller with PWM output for servos
-Fabricated and functioning gears & bearings per edge 
Problems/Potentials:
-Electromagnets fail to maintain the edge axis when the gears engage and rotate
-Possibly a solenoid connection rather than electromagnets
-Possibly two motors [...]

Self-Asssembly Units_Update 081212

December 13, 2008 in AVR microcontroller, Analog Electronics, Component Manipulation, Digital Electronics, Growth Structure, MIT, Media Lab, self assembly

Progress images…more to come.
Many thanks to Sajid, Mark and everyone that has helped thus far.

Self-Assembly Units

December 3, 2008 in AVR microcontroller, Analog Electronics, Component Manipulation, Digital Electronics, Growth Structure, MIT, self assembly

First images from a current project on self-aggregation modules.  
Each component includes a servo & electromagnet per edge.  A servo rotates an electromagnet on edge 1 of unit A which is connected to unit B’s electromagnet & edge 1 which then rotates the entire unit B.  As unit B locks into position unit A’s electromagnet [...]

Grow Srf_Series 1

February 6, 2008 in Component Manipulation, Growth Structure, Recursive growth, Spiraling, Surface Manipulation

 
Pushing for the potential growth of a surface based on specific user defined inputs i.e. max ht., area, entry & exit vectors… A number of these thoughts (and more to come) were born from conversations at the Generator.x 2.0 workshop, many thanks!
Here a first (and yet unsuccessful) attempt using recursive growth of a single component.  Would eventually [...]

Chrysanthemum

January 18, 2008 in Density Patterning, Growth Structure, Networking

Procedure:
-Plot a number of points… may relate to zones within a site, seeds for growth etc.
-Find nearest neighbour from each point
-Create an array of closed curves with a proportion of the nearest neighbour.  As the distance increses from the nearest neighbour increase the z axis of the closed curve.  Effectively creates volumes of space and direct [...]

Network Patterning

January 18, 2008 in Cracking, Density Patterning, Growth Structure, Networking

SCRIPT/INE Progress

July 14, 2007 in Density Patterning, Growth Structure, Installation, Networking, SCRIPT/INE, TheVeryMany

SCRIPT/INE is devoted to demonstrating the possibilities of spatial investigations through the use of computer programming languages. The event will be held at the FUEL Collection on Arch st. in Philadelphia. The exhibition entails a call for submission for students and beginning programmers, a “Scripting by Purpose” section which highlights eighteen experimental individuals and companies [...]

SCRIPT/INE Densities

June 14, 2007 in Component Manipulation, Density Patterning, Growth Structure, Networking, SCRIPT/INE

Very early density studies and growth patterns. Many more to come in the process of developing an installation….networking, growth structure, tension systems, etc. Collaborating with Marc Fornes, www.TheVeryMany.net and Simon Koumjian.