Coded skeleton: programmable bodies for shape changing user interfaces

Abstract

We propose novel design method to fabricate user interfaces with mechanical metamaterial called Coded Skeleton. The Coded Skeleton is combination of shape memory alloys (SMA) and 3-D printed bodies, and it has computationally designed structure that is flexible in one deformation mode but is stiff in the other modes. This property helps to realize materials that automatically deform by a small and lightweight actuator such as SMA. Also it enables to sense user inputs with the resistance value of SMA. In this paper, we propose shape-changing user interfaces by integrating sensors and actuators as Coded Skeleton. The deformation and stiffness of this structure is computationally designed and also controllable. Further, we propose interactions and applications with user interfaces fabricated using our design method.