Resinance
research network
Resinance The design of ‘Resinance’ was strongly influenced by the behavior of simple organic life forms, in particular the formation of cellular colonies. In its assembly it represented an ecology of functional units that could both work autonomously but also in coordination with their neighboring units. It consisted of 40 active elements that were gradually changing their surface color in response to human touch. While this slow transformation as such couldn’t directly be perceived, each device had a second actuator, providing immediate response through shivers and vibrations. Every four elements were connected through a control unit that formally resembled the rest of the objects but without the ability to change color. These units both choreographed the behavior of the particular cluster and transmitted the current state of each element to its neighbors. Therefore the tactile input not only changed the touched element but also was transmitted throughout the whole installation in a networked, swarm like behavior.
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The month-long course was split into three parts. During the first part ‘cell’, co-taught by Hironori Yoshida, the students investigated the design and fabrication of three-dimensional hollow modules produced from a polyester resin that had been enhanced with thermochromic pigments. The second part ‘metabolism’ was supported by Weixin Huang and Lei Yu and focused on the sensual and transformative abilities of the units and the embedded electronic infrastructure, physical computing and control algorithms. The last part ‘ecology’ was joined by Tomasz Jaskiewicz, Stefan Dulman, Andrei Pruteanu and Mariana Popescu and looked at the communication between the different units, their emergent behavior, networked agency and response to the environment. The finished installation was set up and exhibited for several weeks.
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Resinance 2.0 Resinance 2.0 is the successor of Resinance, realized six month after the first project. Its general system is building upon the initial installation with improved behavioural complexity and technical and material resilience. The project emerged from a student application to showcase the work at the 2013 ACADIA conference at the school of architecture, University of Waterloo, Cambridge, Canada. While the main concept of the installation is similar to the previous one, e.g. responsive smart material elements, that change colour when physically touched and share the information with their neighbouring elements in order to develop a global emergent behaviour based on local interactions, several
Resinance 2.0
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Achilleas Xydis [Design, Material Research], Joel Letkemann [Electronics, Interaction Design] | Collaborators: Demetris Shammas, Evi Xexaki, Maria Smigielska, Mariana Popescu, Nan Jiang, Yuko Ishizu. | Faculty Support: Manuel Kretzer
n. The Resinance installation is able, where more units can be same communication protocol, agined in far more complex d scenarios.
e installation mirrors the evolution of pattern in simple life forms, a responses from which complex erge. As well as the individual cluster communicates with the e wireless modules. Each cluster ondition, as well as responding ’s condition, so we begin to see
touches one of the modules, it nse and starts to change colour. vers, and the extent of its colour tion of each module’s popularity. igments that react at different oth 30c and 43c, we’re able to nge of colours and combinations ith the inaccuracies involved in ess to create unique patterns on odules. Each cluster of modules n Arduino and contains heaters, otors, and temperature sensors, capacitive sensor. Everything h a custom Arduino shield we is project.
in is capable of taking on many qualities, as well as the use of vibration, it was important that espond dynamically to touch. In esinance, we’ve used capacitive doping the polyester resin by ctive mesh into the resin during ess, so we can sense and react degree of accuracy to human using an invisible sensor.
modules vibrate and slowly shift nse to human touch, and are bedded electronics and wireless which extend the interactive ugh ‘neighbourhoods’ and plex and emergent patterns.
hermo-chromic pigments. Our expanded to include a series nto the qualities and capabilities the pigment, digital fabrication elation to forming the material, teraction design with a range of uators to work together with the visualization techniques using er and coding in processing.
n interactive installation that material techniques, interaction telligence in the form of complex viour. The Resinance project vestigation into smart materials,
wire mesh polypropelene
plexiglass
electronics
resin module
RESIN MODULE
fan, heater and thermistor mount
Actuation In addition to the shivering motion, which was improved by moving the vibrators from the side to a less obtrusive position at the bottom of the individual elements, a stepper motor is included, which slowly raises the centre of each cluster, when the elements have reached their peak temperature. Since due to both aesthetic reasons and in order to speed up the heating process the fans are facing inwards, the motion, which resembles a blossoming flower, opens the air inlets and hence triggers simultaneously with the cooling process. Moreover the colour change is drastically sped up by using two heaters per element instead of one. acrylic base
ventilating lever assembly
SUPPORT STRUCTURE
conductive material
Sensing The sensing capabilities of the individual elements are vastly simplified. While in Resinance piezo-vibration sensors are used to measure human interaction, in Resinance 2.0 a metallic mesh has been embedded into the polyester resin walls. The mesh, which was added during the rotational casting process, is used as a capacitive proximity sensor. This allowes visitors to interact with the modules all over their surface and makes them directly experience the change of temperature when touching. resinance 2.0 shield
xbee
arduino fio
stepper motor
vibrating motor (x3)
heating coil (x2) thermistor
fan
ELECTRONICS NETWORK TOPOLOGY
parts of the installation are significantly different. Topology The layout of the installation is changed to a linear arrangement consisting of ten clusters, each containing three elements. The clusters are linked wireless and constantly communicate their current state to a Master node, which compiles the information and gives it back to the respective module. Every cluster is sitting atop an acrylic base that both provides stability when the elements are moving and also houses the necessary electronic an mechanical components.
resin module
conductive material
fan, heater and thermistor mount
fan
heating coil (x2) thermistor
ventilating lever assembly
vibrating motor (x3)
stepper motor
acrylic base arduino ďŹ o xbee resinance 2.0 shield
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Resinance
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materiability research network
www.materiability.com
supervision Manuel Kretzer Resinance co-supervision Benjamin Dillenburger and Hironori Yoshida, CAAD Weixin Huang and Lei Yu, Tsinghua University Tomasz Jaskiewicz and Mariana Popescu, Hyperbody, TU Delft, Netherlands Andrei Pruteanu and Stefan Dulman, Embedded Software Group, TU Delft team Baldwin Mark, In Jessica, Janjusevic Tihomir, Jiang Nan, Letkemann Joel, Miranda Turu Nicolås, Prieler Irene, Schildberger David, Shammas Demetris, Smigielska Maria, Tanigaito Aki, Xexaki Evi, Xydis Achilleas, Yuko Ishizu Resinance 2.0 design and material research Achilleas Xydis electronics and interaction design Joel Letkemann collaborators Demetris Shammas, Evi Xexaki, Maria Smigielska, Mariana Popescu, Nan Jiang, Yuko Ishizu Farzin Asad, Zak Fish, Connor O’Grady CAAD, 2014