Morphing Artifacts for Creative STEM Explorations
Creativity & Cognition 2022 WORKSHOP
Morphing Artifacts for Creative STEM Explorations
June 20, 2022 | Half Day Workshop
Create underwater transformations with Morphing Matter
Morphing Matter (MM) is a multidisciplinary field that combines material science and digital fabrication to create shape-changing and dynamic interfaces. This workshop aims to (1) introduce the basic concept, computational design and hands-on fabrication techniques of underwater morphing beads powered by hydrogels, and (2) collectively explore creative opportunities and barriers to introducing emerging STEM concepts and skills to novice learners of MM.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Build your own morphing artifact with morphing hydrogel beads
Use a generative design tool to design and simulate water-triggered morphing mechanism
Group discussions and ideation in the context of STEM
Timelapse documentation of the underwater morphing artifact
AM I A GOOD FIT TO ATTEND
The workshop is open to all :)
It may be particularly interesting for you to attend if you are a designer, maker, and researcher who is interested in hands-on STEM learning and maker education.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Email: liningy@andrew.cmu.edu
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE - Half Day
Welcome and Introductions
Introductions and presentation about morphing materials. We will start broad, and then focus on one technique - actuating a paper substrate using hydrogel beads.
Pre-Workshop Discussion
Discussion around how Morphing Materials can serve as a creative medium to support STEM learning, facilitate professional and artistic endeavors, and solve real world problems.
Computational Design and Simulation
Use our software design tool to simulate your first morphing structure. There are options to create kirigami, and branch based geometries. Thereafter design a form keeping an end user in mind.
Hands-on Prototyping
Physically prototype the form designed in the software tool using provided materials - hydrogel beads, vellum paper, tweezers, superglue etc., and submerge them in a water tank to complete the morphing process. Opportunity to do photography of the artifacts on the island.
Show and Tell
Share your sources of inspiration, what you intended to solve, present the artifact, and describe your creation process.
Reflection and Discussion
Discuss how this process and toolkit can assist in developing similar interest driven STEM learning toolkits to foster young individuals’ interest. Share some key takeaways from the process.
SUPPORT
National Science Foundation
Carnegie Mellon University
Morphing Matter Lab
SEEDS StudioLab LLC
EMAIL WORKSHOP MENTORS FOR ANY QUESTIONS
Lining Yao
Professor
Carnegie Mellon University
lining@andrew.cmu.edu
Alisha Collins
Founder
SEEDS StudioLab LLC
alisha@seedsstudiolab.org
Harshika Jain
Morphing Matter Lab
Carnegie Mellon University
harshikj@alumni.cmu.edu
Sunniva Liu
Morphing Matter Lab
Carnegie Mellon University
Melinda Chen
Morphing Matter Lab
Carnegie Mellon University
Jianzhe Gu
Morphing Matter Lab
Carnegie Mellon University
SUPPORT
This project is financially supported by the National Science Foundation. The instructors are from Carnegie Mellon University and the Seeds Studio Lab.
