GABO’en GAN

Academic project - Group Work - UPENN

Teammates: Nicholas Houser, Jeffrey Liao, Xinlin Lu, Tingwai Mo

Instructor: Andrew Saunders

This project focuses on using an industrial robotic arm and a large-scale hot-wire cutter end-effector to cut Styrene foam. The goal is to design within specific geometrical constraints related to the hot-wire cutter’s production of ruled surface geometries. By operating through ruled surface geometries, we can control the manufactured output without the need for post-design geometric rationalization or value engineering activities. The project involves redesigning the ceilings of a large gallery in Meyerson Hall, which currently has a hung acoustical tile system. The project, named GABO’en GAN, uses another logic upon the ruled surface that utilizes AI for design. GANs help reorganize our concept of design, and we translated our new design into the ruled surface geometry. We bring it to life through tool path parameters and robotic idioms.

Contribution To The project

Idea and Development

Modeling+ Scripting

Diagram Development

Presentation + Video + Photography

Robotic hot wire cutting fabrication

Initial Design using GAN

Plan

Final Designed using ruled surface geometries

Final Ceiling proposal

Using artificial neural networks, we can enhance and expand constructive ruled surface features through machine learning techniques.

Edge condition design

Robotic Fabrication

Cutting Diagram

Ceiling Prototype Lightning Diagram

To enhance the visual appeal of the wavy edges, a series of Nth-light narrow LED flexible strip lights have been installed between the cut pieces. Additionally, white LED backlight models have been placed in the central cylindrical part. These are controlled by an Arduino board, which makes the ceiling responsive and interactive.

Final Assembled model