This project focused on the creation of origami inflatables and the development of transformable architectures utilizing a range of design and fabrication techniques including soft robotic actuators, CNC cutting, masking, sealing, laminate design, and computational meshing and patterning.

Armadillo Team

Fabrication assistance, initial CAD, assembly - Shirin Amouei
Fabrication, sealing solution, application concept development - David Gil
Structure design, application concept development, fabrication, assembly sequence, CAD iterations - Maharshi Bhattacharya

This was an opportunity to begin exploration into bistable structures that could transform from a compact state to an expanded, functional state. In due time, my focus shifted to inflation as a means to drive performance.

As a follow-up to the progress made, I continued experimentation with Chuck Hoberman and the Bertoldi Group (at School of Engineering and Applied Sciences), in the spring of 2019 and went on to collaborate with the NASA funded RETH Institute (Resilient Extra Terrestrial Habitat research) team at the Wyss Institute to develop approaches for resilient habitats on Mars. The work with RETHi is ongoing.