摘要:
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a shape controller controls the shape of a bladder as the bladder inflates. The shape controller includes a first set of regions and a second set of regions. The second set of regions is more flexible than the first set of regions. The shape controller is embedded within, or adjacent to, a wall of the bladder. When the bladder is inflated, the overall shape of the bladder bends in areas adjacent to the more flexible regions of the shape controller. For example, the shape controller may comprise paper and the more flexible regions may comprise creases in the paper. Or, for example, the more flexible regions may comprise notches or indentations. In some implementations of this invention, a multi-state shape display changes shape as it inflates, with additional bumps forming as pressure in the display increases.
摘要:
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a shape controller controls the shape of a bladder as the bladder inflates. The shape controller includes a first set of regions and a second set of regions. The second set of regions is more flexible than the first set of regions. The shape controller is embedded within, or adjacent to, a wall of the bladder. When the bladder is inflated, the overall shape of the bladder bends in areas adjacent to the more flexible regions of the shape controller. For example, the shape controller may comprise paper and the more flexible regions may comprise creases in the paper. Or, for example, the more flexible regions may comprise notches or indentations. In some implementations of this invention, a multi-state shape display changes shape as it inflates, with additional bumps forming as pressure in the display increases.
摘要:
In some implementations, bending or other shape changes of a device are actuated by inflating or deflating a bladder in the device. Then, once the desired new shape is achieved by this actuation, another bladder in the device is layer-jammed, to make the device rigid in the new shape. In some cases, sheets in the layer-jamming bladder are coated with abrasive particles. In some cases, layer jamming bladders are interwoven to form a woven device. The rigidity of the woven device can be anisotropically controlled. Layer jamming some, but not all, of the bladders in the woven device causes the woven device to have a rigidity that varies by direction. In some cases, a layer-jamming bladder includes a solid layer with a crease in it. As a result, the bladder can easily bend at the crease.
摘要:
A composite film includes a substrate that is not responsive to relative humidity, and also one or more layers of hygromorphic material. The hygromorphic material expands in response to an increase in relative humidity and contracts in response to a decrease in relative humidity. In some cases, the composite film is bi-layer or tri-layer. The composite films are fabricated such that they undergo a desired bending pattern in response to changes in relative humidity. In some cases, these bending patterns are combinations of two bending primitives: a smooth curve and a sharply angled curve. These two primitives are combined to create a variety of shape transformations including 1D linear transformation, 2D surface expansion and contraction, 2.5D texture change and 3D folding. Any type of hygromorphic material may be employed, including living gram positive and gram negative bacterial cells, yeast cells, plant cells, mammalian cells, cell debris, or hydrogel.
摘要:
In some implementations, bending or other shape changes of a device are actuated by inflating or deflating a bladder in the device. Then, once the desired new shape is achieved by this actuation, another bladder in the device is layer-jammed, to make the device rigid in the new shape. In some cases, sheets in the layer-jamming bladder are coated with abrasive particles. In some cases, layer jamming bladders are interwoven to form a woven device. The rigidity of the woven device can be anisotropically controlled. Layer jamming some, but not all, of the bladders in the woven device causes the woven device to have a rigidity that varies by direction. In some cases, a layer-jamming bladder includes a solid layer with a crease in it. As a result, the bladder can easily bend at the crease.
摘要:
A composite film includes a substrate that is not responsive to relative humidity, and also one or more layers of hygromorphic material. The hygromorphic material expands in response to an increase in relative humidity and contracts in response to a decrease in relative humidity. In some cases, the composite film is bi-layer or tri-layer. The composite films are fabricated such that they undergo a desired bending pattern in response to changes in relative humidity. In some cases, these bending patterns are combinations of two bending primitives: a smooth curve and a sharply angled curve. These two primitives are combined to create a variety of shape transformations including 1D linear transformation, 2D surface expansion and contraction, 2.5D texture change and 3D folding. Any type of hygromorphic material may be employed, including living gram positive and gram negative bacterial cells, yeast cells, plant cells, mammalian cells, cell debris, or hydrogel.
摘要:
A mobile image forming apparatus includes a body, a recording device supported by the body and configured to form an image on a recording medium, a roller provided to the body and configured to rotate on the recording medium while the body is moved in a scanning direction for image formation. The mobile image forming apparatus further includes a switching device configured to switch a state of the mobile image forming apparatus during image formation between a roller contact state in which the roller is in contact with the recording medium and a roller contactless state in which the roller is contactless with the recording medium.
摘要:
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body accommodating an image forming device, a foreign object detector that detects a foreign object beside the apparatus body, and a detector holding unit that holds the foreign object detector. The foreign object detector and the detector holding unit are movable together into the apparatus body.
摘要:
A mount board tray is provided to hold multiple mount boards at different heights above and below the mount board tray. The mount board tray holds a topmost mount board placed at the topmost position among the multiple mount boards held by the mount board tray from below the topmost mount board. The mount board tray also holds a bottommost mount board placed at the bottommost position among the multiple mount boards from above the bottommost mount board at the same time.
摘要:
In exemplary implementations of this invention, an array of linear actuators can be used to form a segmented surface. The surface can resemble a low relief sculpture. A user may control the shape of the surface by direct touch manipulation or by making freehand gestures at a distance from the surface. For example, the freehand gestures may comprise input instructions for selecting, translating, and rotating the shape of an object. A projector may augment the rendered shapes by projecting graphics on the surface.