We’re all familiar with inflatable pools and pool accessories, right? Objects that are one shape when deflated, but another when inflated. That’s the very principle, but in a way smaller scale, behind MorpheesPlug. MorpheesPlug is comprised of a different set of tools that can help you create objects that dynamically change their shape by being inflated or deflated at times. The tools that make up MorpheesPlug are a set of widgets that can be inflated to change their shape, a control module that inflates or deflates these widgets when needed, and a software suite that allows for the easy design of these widgets.
MorpheesPlug tackles one of the problems with creating devices that can change their physical shape dynamically, it being that it is very hard to do it. Usually, make shape-changing devices we usually need to have ample knowledge in electronics, 3D modeling, and computer programming; with MorpheesPlug we abstracted movement into a set of inflatable widgets that move in specific ways. These widgets are inflated using our control module, and can be added to existing 3D designs using our software kit.
MorpheesPlug widgets
Inflatable, shape-changing widgets of MorpheesPlug.
Researchers have quantified the different movements shape-changing devices can make, specially in this super interesting paper. So for our widgets to be most useful we should cover as many of the shape-changing capabilities as we could. We tested a lot of widget designs before landing on our six final ones (the image on the right). These widgets cover over 80% of the space described in the paper linked above.
You can download this paper from the ACM Digital Library, or directly from this website.