IM Blanky: soft hardware

Developed by Studio NMinusOne, this is a self modeling blanket exhibiting primitive cognitive skills.

Studio NMinusOne's IM Blanky is a 7'7" x 4'2" blanket composed of a distributed field of 104 soft tilt sensors, embodying simultaneously a physical and digital presence. These soft sensors form the most basic motif: the flower. The flower consists of 6 conductive petals, linked by resistors, and a conductive tassel in the center. The flowers are grouped together into 14 larger configurations or clusters and 2 half clusters. Working as a directional marker, the tassel's contact with a petal registers a specific orientation or tilt of the blanket. The flowers are arrayed around the circular double power circuit, and their stems plug into a computational hub (Multiplex). The clusters are then linked together, into a larger network of clusters, each relaying the position of its flowers to a microcontroller stitched to the back of the blanket. (Arduino LilyPad)

The distribution of sensors is based on an underlying hexagonal structure. Each flower occupies a hexagonal cell, surrounded by six neighbors. As the software receives directional (N,S,E,W) input from a cell, it is able to reconstruct a slope based on the position of that cell and its immediate neighbors, generating essentially a surface of peaks and valleys. (Processing)

IM Blanky
RAD team: Carol Moukheiber, Christos Marcopoulos, Rodolphe el-Khoury, Valentina Mele, Sebastian Savone, Yi Ping See, Samar Sabie, Dina Sabie, Jonah Ross-Marrs
Studio NMinusOne programming the blanket
Studio NMinusOne programming the blanket
The blanket embodies simultaneously
a physical and digital
presence
The blanket embodies simultaneously a physical and digital presence
The first working tilt sensor prototypes were made of copper
fabric, conductive thread and beads.
The first working tilt sensor prototypes were made of copper fabric, conductive thread and beads.
Some of the sensor prototypes
Some of the sensor prototypes
A detail of the blanket
A detail of the blanket
The flowers are grouped together into 14
larger configurations or clusters and 2 half
clusters. Working as a directional marker,
the tassel’s contact with a petal registers a
specific orientation or tilt of the blanket
The flowers are grouped together into 14 larger configurations or clusters and 2 half clusters. Working as a directional marker, the tassel’s contact with a petal registers a specific orientation or tilt of the blanket

Latest on News

Latest on Domus

Read more
China Germany India Mexico, Central America and Caribbean Sri Lanka Korea icon-camera close icon-comments icon-down-sm icon-download icon-facebook icon-heart icon-heart icon-next-sm icon-next icon-pinterest icon-play icon-plus icon-prev-sm icon-prev Search icon-twitter icon-views icon-instagram