It’s surface changes appearance automatically when exposed to water, whether directly, or via humidity. Pinecones open when dry and close when wet, to provide optimal conditions for spreading seeds. They do so by simply reacting to water—it seeps into the woody leaves (microsporophylls) and causes them to droop. Inspired by this simple process, student Chao Chen of the Royal College of Art in London dissected cones to see how they were put together and then used what he learned to create objects or coverings.
He has created an artificial pinecone, a wall hanging (or covering) that self-modifies when it gets wet to reveal artful coloring, an overhang that allows light to pass through when the sun is shining, but closes when it rains to keep those underneath dry and a strip for insertion into the soil in which a plant resides that changes color when the plant needs watering. His objects are made of veneer, fabric and film which work well. The trick is in getting the veneer to bend in the right way when it gets wet. Once that has been figured out, it is a matter of replicating the materials in an appealing or useful way. The objects created thus far likely represent just a fraction of those that could be made, particularly if artificial misting is used on very small bits of material that react with extremely small amounts of moisture. Billboards that automatically change their message, for example, or flat screens that serve as wall art when not in use.
One issue: the objects all suffer from weakness. Chen says he is not sure yet how well his objects will stand up to nature, but has begun testing to find out. http://techxplore.com/news/2015-07-shape-shifting-material-based-pinecones.html
Recent Comments