Swarm materialization through discrete, nonsequential additive fabrication

• Biological design is able to achieve remarkable functionality, resilience and adaptability without relying on centralized coordination or resource-intense materials. Agent based construction seeks to emulate these advantages, but the two common approaches - swarm robotics and fully virtual agent simulations - are held back by limitations that are difficult to overcome in isolation. Here we demonstrate initial steps towards the application of biological design principles, particularly the so called Bernard Machine. 3D printing is used to materialize the actions of virtual agents in a physical environment. Such an arena requires a shift from monolithic printing processes to interactive ones: assemblage printing. We demonstrate an alternative to conventional slicer-controlled printing that is discrete and to an extent nonsequential and which forms the foundation for assemblage printing. In its extension it allows for the exploration of a fully agent based construction process.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Annan teknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Other Engineering and Technologies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Swarm construction

Agent-based construction

Discrete additive fabrication

Homeostatic design

Biological design

Additive manufacturing

Morphogenesis

Multi agent system

Biomimicry

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)