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People standing around a table showing a small silicone tube which expands and moves

Soft robotics workshop

Soft Robotics is a new and rapidly growing approach to robotics that aims to harmonise with the living environment by using “soft” materials such as silicone, rubber and gelatine that actuate on air, instead of hard mechanical parts that run on motors.

Small silicone actuator with a smiley face activated by contact with a hand
Workshop outcome

Context

Following a soft robotics workshop at the Pixelache Festival in Helsinki 2016, we decided to get into the subject and see what people in our network can do with this new technology.

After having received a grant from the student union we were able to purchase the necessary materials. For the workshop, around 20 people from all over the university signed up. The workshop took place in the Biolab of the School of Arts and Aalto FabLab and lasted two days.

Workshop video documentation

The workshop was conducted and organised by Avner Peled and Kilian Kottmeier outside the regular curriculum.

Team members

Avner Peled
Kilian Kottmeier

People in white lab coats casting silicone
Silicone casting
Glove covered hand removing silicone from a plastic mold
molding the silicone actuators
Two glove covered pairs of hands holding an air filled silicone actuator
Final silicone actuator
Silicone actuator in the shape of a bending tube standing on a table
Final silicone actuator