Malika Singh’s scientific contributions

Robotics have expanded exponentially in the last decade. Within the vast examples of ambulatory robots, traditional legged robots necessitate engineering expertise and the use of specialized fabrication technologies. Micro electromechanical (MEM) robots are useful for a wide range of applications yet in most cases, difficult to fabricate and excessively intricate. Advances in pop-up laminate construction have generated a model shift in the development of robot morphologies due to their ease of fabrication and scalability from the millimeter to centimeter scale. This research continues to investigate the link between kinematics and pop-up origami structures in robotics. The objective was to design a robot that exhibited efficient and controlled locomotion minimizing number of motors. "Crease", an origami robot that emerges from a two-dimensional sheet into its three-dimensional configuration was developed. By amplifying a simple rotational motion through the geometry of folds in the robot, a complex gait was achieved with minimal motorized actuation. Variations in gait, control, and steering were studied through physical and computational models. Untethered Creases that sense their environment and steer accordingly were developed. This research contributes not only to the field of robotics but also to design where efficiency, adjustability and ease of fabrication are critical.

LightShare is a sharing mechanism for indoor illumination based on tangible feedback. It is a modification to conventional adjustable light switches with the goals of conserving energy. LightShare aims at both residential and commercial customers that look for affordable and efficient energy saving solutions. We hope to leverage technology to connect consumers and raise their awareness of the consequences of their energy consuming behavior in the community context.

PneuForm is a new method for interacting with a physical form through dynamic replication. As fabrics are versatile and have unique properties that can be used to sense and replicate any object, they can serve as a medium for creating user interfaces. PneuForm explores the missing real-time connection between a physical and a digital model, using a flat piece of programmable fabric. Data is transmitted from a TUI to a GUI through a 3D model, allowing for a bidirectional interaction (i.e. changes made on the GUI affect the physical model and vice versa), and thus allows for the material to be programmed to perform certain actions. To test and evaluate the ideas, we built prototypes by augmenting a sheet of fabric with sensors and using pneumatic actuation. PneuForm can contribute to a quicker, more seamless and intuitive process of ideation, vizualization and fabrication.

New materials enable new ways of design and construction, altering the limitations of what is possible and imaginable. Along with new material, the introduction of new technologies of sensors and actuators have started to change our thinking towards using electronics to make a material, object or space responsive. We have had the opportunity to explore such technologies and the chapters ahead will talk about their possibilities and limitations along with our journey toward the study of engineered materials, along with a possible blend between these two directions. The objective of this thesis is not to invent new materials, but to explore the possible design applications of nonconventional materials and, most importantly inspire further development in this area. With this in mind we started to look at materials with primary shape changing behavior along with other properties not yet explored for application in architecture and design. Weighing the advantages and constraints we decided to explore ‘Super Absorbant Polymers’ specifically HydroGels. After initial explorations and experimentations, three main characteristic properties of this material were taken ahead for further exploration: Visual, Thermal and Mechanical. The goal of this thesis is seen not from material engineering but from a design point of view, looking at how these properties can be manipulated to create an enriching spatial experience.

This research investigates the assembly of funicular shell structures using a single layer of flat ceramic tiles. The objective is to synthesize recent advances in structural prediction software with existing means and methods of on-site assembly. The primary area of investigation is at the scale of the tectonic unit-most specifically how introduction of geometric intelligence at the scale of the unit can simplify the assembly of forms that are difficult to realize in the context of modern construction. The project simulates an industrial production scenario in which components for a given shell structure can be fabricated using a wire cutter-equipped 6-axis robotic arm. It aims to increase the adaptability and applicability of ceramic shell structures.