Design Process

Comparing technolical quality of different kinetics mechanical systems which included displaying dimensions, shape changing, color contrast, and materials.

Sketching the 4 bar-linkage system. Design, calculation and adjustment of the measurement of new linkage system design.

Low Fidelity Prototype of the new kinetic structure design with Servo motor. Testing Low Fidelity Prototype with servo motor. System was in action.

First version, top view. Supporting structure. Servo motor driven the linkage.

Placed the structure vertically on the wall. Cut holes on the linkage bar for exterior connection. Changed the way to place the motor.

IIlustrations of Parts, Final Version Final Version (size of the base: 166mm x 49mm)

Final version bar linkage system, Top view. 2mm Perspex. Side view. Linkages were in different layers. Small holes on the flower-like head were for exterior connections. Flat washers placed between each linkage layer.

Large holes on the basic were for reducing the weight of the structure. Bolts and nuts connected all the parts together. All the parts could be replaced easily. Screw and staples fixed the linkage to the gear of the motor through the holes for increasing its stability.

Design Experimentation

Design experimentation implemented low fidelity and high fidelity prototypes for testing the effects on different kinds of designs, materials and structures. By comparing results, the better solution would be used. The experimentation included kinetic system design, hardware design on the dress, supporting system over kinetic parts, electronics design, and fabrics layers.

Low Fidelity Prototypes

The Linkage was the best principle to implement the kinetic system for the kinetic dress. It could be placed vertically on the dress with less friction. Investigations of the typical bar linkage systems, experimentations of four bar-linkage system and the slider crank mechanism helped to develop a new linkage system for the kinetic dress.

The movement of the low fidelity prototype was quite smooth. The structure could reduce friction when the system was placed vertically on the dress. When the servo motor was turned 110 degrees, the new kinetic system would change its length to 80mm. It was effective for transforming the fabric obviously.

High Fidelity Prototypes

Based on the low fidelity prototype, calculated the practical size for the new system, then illustrated the patterns in software for laser cut the kinetic parts. Laser Cut Machine was used to cut the Perspex into parts for implementing the high fidelity prototypes. They tested the effectiveness and functions of new system with practical materials. Different versions of high fidelity prototypes showed the changes and improvements. All these prototypes used 2mm thickness Perspex for making the parts. Hardware for assembling them into an integrated system included staples, bolts and nuts, flat washers, and wire.

1) First Version

The first version was used to testing its function with practical materials and hardware, and to investigate the effectiveness of the servo motor. The results showed that the system was strong enough to drive the lightweight fabric. Perspex and hardware increased the overall weight and it was too heavy for placing vertically on the dress.

2) Second Version

The second version experimented structure designs for both keeping kinetic linkage bars in the same horizontal line and placing vertically on a soft surface. The base of the kinetic parts was for protecting the linkage bars to keep them into a same horizontal level. Nedded to reduce the size of the base and remove unnecessary parts were required.

3) Final Version

The kinetic system included 12 pieces of Perspex parts. Parts A, B, C, and D were the bar linkages. The circle-end of A connected to the gear of servo motor. Its flower-head connected to circle end of B and D. Parts F, G, E and H constructed the stable part S on the basic J, which linkage B was sliding under this protection. Part I steadied the motor to the basic J.

Comparing to the pervious version, the size of final version was scaled down 30%. The weight was 40% lighter. All the unnecessary parts had been removed from the base. The small sized holes on the linkage bars and the base were also for reducing the weight. They were also for connection purposes. Fabric could be sewed on or an extra layer could be attached. Flat washers were also added between bars in different layers to reducing friction. Screw and staples fixed the bar linkage to the gear of the servo motors.