Self Assembling Space Frames
Contributors | Che-Wei Wang
Credit: Steve Boxall / ZERO-G
Ever wish you could toss your folded up tent and have it self-assemble mid-air?
In a zero gravity environment, you can.
Self Assembling Space Frames is a system of struts, connection nodes, and elastic to enable quadrilateral mesh geometries to self-assemble from a collapsed bundle. The software accepts meshes or lines and outputs 3d printable nodes that are then strung together with tubes and elastic. This system can be used to design self assembling objects and spaces. The frame can accept fabric to create an enclosed private space for astronauts to temporarily deploy and occupy like a space tent. This project was tested in microgravity during a 2021 Zero-G parabolic flight.
Credit: Steve Boxall / ZERO-G
Credit: Che-Wei Wang
Credit: Che-Wei Wang
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