Ali Shtarbanov ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ

Ali Shtarbanov ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱᱤᱠ ᱭᱟᱱᱛᱨᱟ ᱯᱨᱚᱛᱤᱡᱚᱜᱤᱛᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ 2021 A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱹᱰᱤ ᱢᱟᱱ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱨᱩᱯᱟᱵᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱᱤᱠ ᱭᱟᱱᱛᱨᱟ· 2021

FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ

Ali Shtarbanov ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ

ᱜᱟᱦᱟᱠ: Ali Shtarbanov, MIT Media Lab

ᱵᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱᱤᱠ ᱭᱟᱱᱛᱨᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ

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ᱡᱟᱸᱪ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ

#122452 ᱞᱟᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱦᱟᱞᱚᱛ ᱡᱟᱸᱪ

ᱥᱟᱭᱤᱴ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱢᱮ A' Design Award ᱨᱮ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱢᱮ ᱯᱨᱮᱥ ᱨᱤᱞᱤᱡ ᱯᱩᱨᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱡ

ᱨᱚᱝ

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ

FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ

ᱯᱷᱤᱞᱚ FlowIO ᱫᱚ ᱢᱩᱞᱩᱠ ᱨᱚᱵᱚᱴ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱨᱚᱜᱨᱟᱢᱮᱵᱟᱞ ᱡᱤᱱᱤᱥ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱠᱚᱱᱴᱨᱚᱞ, ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱮᱱᱥᱤᱝ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱛ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯᱞᱟᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱾ ᱢᱩᱬ ᱢᱚᱰᱭᱩᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱟᱹᱞᱵᱷ, ᱥᱮᱱᱥᱚᱨ, ᱢᱟᱭᱠᱨᱚᱠᱚᱱᱴᱨᱚᱞᱟᱨ, ᱢᱤᱫ ᱵᱮᱴᱨᱤ ᱟᱨ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱪᱟᱨᱡᱚᱨ ᱢᱮᱥᱟᱭ ᱟᱠᱟᱫᱟ ᱾ ᱯᱟᱢᱯ ᱢᱚᱰᱭᱩᱞ ᱠᱚ ᱢᱮᱜᱱᱮᱴ ᱛᱮ ᱡᱩᱲᱟᱹᱣ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱮᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱥᱟᱢᱟᱝ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱚᱫᱚᱞ ᱫᱟᱲᱮᱭᱟᱜ-ᱟ, ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ-ᱟ ᱦᱩᱰᱺᱤᱡᱚ, ᱛᱟᱞᱟᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱨ ᱢᱟᱨᱟᱝ ᱚᱯᱥᱚᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱯᱨᱮᱥᱚᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱷᱞᱚ ᱨᱮᱴ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱛ ᱾ ᱢᱚᱰᱭᱩᱞ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ 3D ᱯᱨᱤᱱᱴ ᱦᱩᱭᱮᱱ ᱥᱱᱮᱯ-ᱯᱷᱤᱴ ᱦᱟᱣᱡᱤᱝ ᱨᱮ ᱵᱚᱸᱫᱚ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱜ-ᱟ ᱾ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱥᱚᱯᱷᱴᱣᱮᱨ ᱴᱩᱞᱠᱤᱴ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱚᱵᱟᱭᱤᱞ ᱟᱨ ᱰᱮᱥᱠᱴᱚᱯ ᱜᱨᱟᱯᱷᱤᱠᱟᱞ ᱤᱱᱴᱚᱨᱯᱷᱮᱥ, ᱵᱞᱩᱴᱩᱛ ᱠᱚᱱᱴᱨᱚᱞ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱨᱚᱜᱨᱟᱢᱤᱝ ᱤᱱᱴᱚᱨᱯᱷᱮᱥ ᱠᱚ ᱥᱮᱞᱮᱫᱟ ᱾ FlowIO ᱫᱚ ᱰᱮᱥᱠᱴᱚᱯ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱷᱮᱫᱟᱛ ᱵᱟᱨᱭᱟᱱ ᱯᱨᱚᱡᱮᱠᱴ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱛ ᱴᱷᱤᱠ ᱜᱮᱭᱟ ᱾

ᱢᱟᱱᱟᱱ

A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ

FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱨᱩᱯᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ FlowIO ᱱᱤᱢᱱᱟᱴᱤᱠᱥ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱯ�succᱮᱴᱯᱷᱚᱨᱢ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱯᱤᱪᱷᱟ ᱨᱮ

ᱯᱨᱮᱥ ᱠᱤᱴ

ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱠᱨᱮᱰᱤᱴ, ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱫᱚᱥᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱤᱠᱮᱞ ᱵᱤᱵᱚᱨᱚᱬ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾

ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱜᱩᱱ ᱠᱚ: FlowIO is a fully-integrated, general-purpose development platform for control of soft robots and programmable materials. With magnetically connected pump modules that are swappable on-the-fly, FlowIO can satisfy diverse project needs of researchers, artists, and makers. A software toolkit with mobile and desktop graphical interfaces, Bluetooth controls, and APIs for Arduino and JavaScript — enable users from any technical background to get started and unleash their creativity with FlowIO.
ᱢᱟᱯ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱮᱠᱮᱡᱤᱝ: Five pneumatic I/O ports, each capable of 7 actions, and three swappable pump modules (small, medium, large) can satisfy different needs for pressures (-26 to 30 psi), size, and flow-rates. FlowIO with small pumps has dimensions 59x55x28 mm and mass of only 114g. Expansion modules and accessories enable additional sensing, control, and mounting options for both wearable and nonwearable applications. BLE Capability, multiple APIs, and a GUI enable diverse options for interacting with FlowIO.
ᱴᱮᱜ ᱠᱚ: Development Platform, Toolkit, Pneumatic Control System, Soft Robotics, Programmable Materials, Shape Change, Tangible User Interface, Wearables, Arduino, Raspberry Pi
ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱛᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ: FlowIO contains a main module, different pump modules, expansion modules, and accessories. The main module integrates 7 valves, 2 custom PCBs, sensors, microcontroller, and a battery with charger. Each pump module has 2 pumps, a custom PCB, and a battery with integrated charger. Auxiliary modules also consist of custom PCBs. The modules connect magnetically and are enclosed in 3D-printed snap-fit enclosures, that can be printed in any color. All hardware designs are made public and open-source.
ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱪᱮᱞᱮᱧ: The main challenge was making FlowIO highly energy-efficient and miniaturized yet fully-integrated with pumps, valves, sensors, electronics, batteries. and even charging circuits. Other pneumatic platforms with far fewer capabilities are 5-10 times larger than FlowIO and they still require external pumps and/or power sources. Over a dozen design iterations were dedicated towards finding clever ways of reducing size. Developing multiple APIs and a cross-platform GUI was another major challenge.
ᱜᱚᱵᱮᱥᱚᱱᱟ: Over a dozen people have used FlowIO to date, from PhD researchers and high-school students to makers and artists. It has enabled people to develop projects in various categories including interactivity, artistic expression, locomotion, telepresence, haptic feedback, and assistive technologies. Feedback was collected from existing and prospective users continuously to inform many of the design iterations. FlowIO was also used as a teaching tool in a graduate digital fabrication course at MIT.
ᱯᱨᱮᱨᱚᱱᱟ: Arduino and Raspberry Pi democratized electronics and computing. FlowIO aims to democratize soft robotics and programmable materials in a similar way. The lack of development platforms for soft robotics makes the field highly inaccessible for most people and stifles innovation. The FlowIO platform was developed with the goal to democratized the emerging field of soft robotics and make rapid prototyping more accessible for researchers, artists, designers, and makers.
ᱯᱨᱚᱡᱮᱠᱴ ᱥᱚᱢᱚᱭ: FlowIO originated out of necessity as a system I made for my own research in soft robotics and morphable interfaces at MIT Media Lab. As many other researchers, makers, and artists showed strong interest and asked to use FlowIO in their own works, in late 2019 the idea was born to augment FlowIO into a truly general purpose pneumatics development platform suitable for everyone. FlowIO has now undergone over 20 prototype iterations, with numerous new features added during those iterations.
ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱦᱚᱨ: FlowIO enables users to rapidly bring soft robotics projects to life and to focus on developing actuators and experiences instead of spending time designing pneumatics, electronics, or writing control software. Miniature size, battery operation, and various modules and accessories make FlowIO suitable for both desktop and wearable applications involving inflation, vacuum, release, pressure sense, and flow variability. Multiple APIs and GUI make it possible for anyone to use the device with ease.
ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱮᱫᱟᱭ ᱠᱚ: Ali Shtarbanov
Hyejun Youn
Ozgun Afsar
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Paradiso of MIT Media Lab
ᱪᱤᱛᱟᱹᱨ ᱥᱟᱹᱦᱟ: Ali Shtarbanov