Re-design (week 2)

After the critique of our week 1 project, it was clear that we had reached a dead end with our current design. It was a general consensus  that we needed something entirely new that met the criteria (smart surface, holds, optimally packed spheres) but still retained the properties of the last design that we liked (the different interpretation of optimally packed, aesthetically pleasing).  During the reevaluation of our last design  we determined some of the problems with it were:

• no purpose/practicality
• no specific location for it's use
• the design would be difficult to mechanize
• 'holds'  was interpreted too literally
• wasn't scalable
• weak relation to bio mimicry
• it didn't "do enough" for the complexity of the design
  

One of the group members pointed out that some of the smartness of the design could come from the way we use the materials, not just force the materials to represent our idea. Acrylic is translucent, watertight and rigid; chipboard is flexible, and opaque. These properties helped us determine what our final design would be. 

Initially, it was purposed that a cluster of plant holding acrylic spheres could be arranged around a light source.  With this design, the plants would get receive light and soften it so it wasn't as bright in the room (the shadows cast from the plants could also have aesthetic appeal). This design would allow lighting needs to still be met while incorporating good growing conditions for plants into a room. The arduino would be used to take soil moisture readings and water the plants when needed. 

The previously described 'plant sphere lamp' idea was expanded on and the result was a panel system in which clear plant holding spheres were nested. The bottoms of the spheres would be silvered to prevent root rot and make it more aesthetically pleasing. The series of panels would be used to create structures indoors.  These would include dividing walls, partial window coverings, and awning type structures that you could walk through. The use of the ardunio  to provide water would remain the same. The purpose of this design is to allow for plants to be incorporated into well lit, indoor areas in a low maintenance, artistic, and aesthetically pleasing way. 

For the week 2 presentation, our group presented a bent acrylic sheet with laser cut holes that held ping-pong balls that represented the proposed plant holding acrylic ones.

9/15 to 9/16

When we met to finish our week one project, one of the group members purposed a new interpretation of 'optimally packing' in which the spheres that we made would be stored in a position where they were folded together (a sphere nested within a sphere).  This proposal allowed for all eight of the spheres to pack down to four all while remaining an optimally packed plane. After a long discussion, it was agreed that we would continue with the new interpretation of optimal packing. Ideally, the spheres would un-nest and close by means of a motor but for the purpose of our presentation we manipulated them by hand.

9/09-9/14

The criteria that we were given to work with were:
-Smart surface
-Holds
-Optimally packed spheres (with inspiration from the spittle bug http://www.organicgardeninfo.com/images/spittlebugs.jpg)

Initially, the ideas consisted of a structure that was filled with spheres packed in the fcc orientation. The design consisted of chipboard walls with holes cut into them to allow small spheres (ping-pong ball size) to fill it without gaps on the sides. 

Figure 1 is a model made in Rhinoceros that shows how the spheres would protrude from the holes cut into the chipboard. In this design, the chipboard structure optimally holds the spheres.

Figure 1

Figure 2 is a model made in Rhinoceros of the second initial design. It is similar to the one shown in Figure 1 except that there is also a structure on the inside and the spheres fill the area between the two panels of chipboard. Initially, it was thought this was the better of the two as it holds the spheres optimally and can hold something else in the inner compartment. 

Figure 2

After a night it was agreed upon by the group that we had left out the 'smart' portion of our surface. The definition of 'smart' was discussed in depth and it was decided that the surface had to respond to or interact with something.  

Again, two ideas were purposed. One of which was a ramp and basket combination that spheres would roll down and end up in the fcc orientation. The other was a structure consisting of stacked spheres (in fcc orientation) that opened to hold something. Figure 3 is a preliminary sketch of this design. The spheres would be made of leaf-like panels that would open by means of rotating around an axis.

Figure 3

The group split into two in order to more efficiently pursue both design concepts. It was decided that each sphere in the structure should be aprox. 6 inches in diameter and be composed of a rigid hemisphere that was connected to 6 freely moving leafs that would overlap each other. Figure 4 is a model made in Rhinoceros that shows the hemisphere (front of figure) and overlapping panels (back of figure). 

Figure 4

Three chipboard models were made of this design; The second of which was improved to make the final structure more spherical and the third to allow for a better connection between the hemisphere and the panels. Figure 5 shows the first two spheres and Figure 6 shows the third.

Figure 5

Figure 6

There were a few rotation problems with the front panels, so a modification that was two hemispheres (similar to the current back)  one of which slightly smaller than the other that rotate into each other was purposed. One sphere made with the previously mentioned two hemisphere method  and it rotated much better.

The group met as a whole and it was determined that we would all proceed together with the stacked spheres. Gluing the panels, instead of tape, was purposed and found to make the spheres rotate past each other without catching as much. This resulted in making two more spheres were with glue and remaking the original two hemisphere sphere with glue.