The Pirouetting Picket Fence, Abdulbari Kutbi

The Pirouetting Picket Fence

by Abdulbari Kutbi

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CSA Research Report

Project Details Project Lead:

Abdulbari Kutbi

Design Tutors:

Sam McElhinney, David Di Duca

Title:

The Pirouetting Picket Fence

Type:

Research Project & Installation

Location:

UCA Canterbury Campus Reception Gallery

Project Dates:

13 August - 28 August 2015 On-Site Construction August 28/2015 - September 2/2015 Show Open to Public 7 September 2015 Take-Down

Design Period:

Sept 2014 - February 2015

Budget:

ÂŁ150 ~

Scale:

1m x 1.2m x 400mm

Support:

UCA Research, UCA Herbert Read Gallery

Acknowledgments:

This project would not be possible without the support of many people; chiefly: My mother Ghada, for her constant financial support and belief in my mission My Wife Solafa, for her endless encouragement, reflections, and belief in my abilities

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Research Agenda and Process Overview This project is driven by an interest in the animate qualities of living organisms and methods for recreating animism mechanically. Initially triggered by the Strandbeests of Theo Jansen, Creatures capable of limited behaviours based on environmental inputs. At the heart of every computation device or intelligent creature is a network, a facilitator for logic-making operations that forces a behavioural system to emerge.

This four month research stint facilitated the development of an embodied robot, composed of a network of nodal points that together produced spatially aware navigational behaviour through embodied computational methods. A robotic entity that works through physical and mathematical computation, using it to act on the world.

Research Questions 1.

Can basic reactive triggers produce tangible navigational behaviour?

2. Using simple analogue construction techniques, are we able to produce robust robotics?

3. Using devices as analogues for human navigational behaviour, can we develop these systems to further interrogate the nature of intelligence, teleology and decision making?

Fig.01 (previous page) The Pirouetting Picket Fence

Research Statement

Significance and Contribution This research uses the notion of reactivity to reimagine architectural space as a behavioural cybernetic entity.

At an individual level, reactive behaviours are trivial and mechanistic, reflexes that produce particular outcomes based on particular triggers. When this technology is organised within a computational or even a basic network of connections, the result is a mechanical computer of low-intelligence input/output.

The projects in this report present cases where low-level reactivity and networks are constructed to imagine spatial practice as rooted in intelligence-making and behavioural architectures of radical autonomy. At a larger scale, the embedding of low-tech reactivity into building components and facilitating communication between users and city entities.

Methodologies 1.

To develop and experiment with mechanical interfaces, motion and actuation.

2. Combine learned techniques to form network structures, test out results and optimize to produce spatial behaviours with degrees of agency.

3. Integrate behavioural reactions into everyday objects, look out for changes in people’s behaviours and perception.

4. Use these techniques to probe our concept of the city as a static entity and propose dynamic futures for communication, habitation and mobility.

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Design Proposal I proposed the construction of a robot made of four radial arms connected through two-piece linkages capable of folding on themselves. The entirety of the device’s skeleton is made of 20mm PVC electrical conduit.

Below every radial arm is an acrylic disc that acts as a physical sensor. Below that is a 3D printed foot housing two 9V battery’s connected to a 12V DC motor with a gearbox ratio of 1:100.

The sixth node is under the first link in order to counterbalance and allow for enhanced stability against falls.

This robot can be deployed in any environment, its simple construction is both robust and cheap. And it produces a marvel of embodied computation; a model of real world mathematical vectors.

This set-up produces 5 motorised notes, each with a horizontally oriented bearing allowing them to rotate 360 degrees like castors.

Key technological outcomes of proposal 1.

The development of specific detailing and construction language through PVC tubing - heating and forming of conduit elements.

2. The development of highly refined 3D printed feet capable of performing under high stress to produce the desired motion through an assemblage of technical components.

3. The development and understanding of a sophisticated network system, modelling a basic network of cellular automata in embodied form and performing mathematical equations for solving navigational problems.

Fig.02 (right) The robot Shakey

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Proposal & Context

Design Research Context Field of Work Embodiment emerged as a field of motion research that looks at how certain behaviours in living organisms are rooted not in neurological processes but in mechanically reactive processes.

Work by others

Works in the field have crossed the borders between scientific inquiry and artistic research.

On the scientific side we have robots such as Shakey, a model for centralised computation and Brooks’ mobots at MIT as an This project refences works alternative distributed model. ranging from Clark’s papers (1998) on Cognitive extension, Artistic work ranges from Brooks (1999) on Distributed behavioural work such as Tim computation and Paul (2004) on Lewis’ Pony, and Theo Jansen’s Morphological computation.

Strandbeests.

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Design Methodologies Experimenting with PVC linkages and motion systems; this approach involved attempting to replicate methods for transferring mechanical motion in plastic form, looking at the benefits and downsides of each approach, understanding how it may appeal to the research area specifically.

Learning from these systems, particular concepts were developed for each option and discussed for viability and potential spatial importance and influence.

From this point in the research, a shift in focus was required, to begin looking at the exquisite design of a refined network of connections. Operating on real spaces and capable of producing teleological behaviour in response to physical inputs.

Lastly, the development of rotational bearings and vertical fixings allowing the robot’s feet to swivel on impact and react to forces very easily.

Critical Design Elements 1.

PVC Skeleton

2. Detailing of PVC Arms and joining of components 3. Sophisticated Foot Pototype 4. Specific navigational field area

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Process & Methods

Prototyping and testing The skeleton of the robot was the most development intensive part. Involving weeks and weeks of repetitive element testing and experiments, methods for regularising production and developing proper fixings.

a. Element testing

The electrical components were a lot more digitally involved, working back forth between a virtual 3D design environment and 3D printing of prototypes until an optimum solution was resolved.

b. Fixings and bracing

Three initial skeletons were made, each was operated to determine the optimum length of arms and the ideal number of arms to maintain vertical stability to weight ratio.

By heating up and then forming the PVC conduit around a mould, a regularised detail for slotting and spacing was developed. c. 3D printed models 25 tests were carried out to optimise the foot prototypes, each time they were subjected to stress testing to determine the likeliest failure scenario, the final model had overcompensated for all axial forces. d. Dry runs and operation An entire week was reserved for operating the robot in test runs to achieve continuity of performance as well as understanding new behaviours that the larger four legged model would produce.

Fig.03 (left) PVC Arm Production jig

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Fig.06 (left) The Robot assembly fabrication.

during and

Fig.07 (right) Node motor assembly drawing in 45 Axonometric.

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Process & Methods

Fabrication Techniques a. PVC Conduit Pipe The potential of this material is limitless as a lightweight three dimensional structural element.

It’s rigidity reduces with length as bending moment increases, however; organised in tight configurations it produces remarkably rigid forms.

Working with this had allowed me to perfect using conduit as a way of quickly and efifciently putting together different structural configurations and prototypes.

The development of a particular detailing system has also been very rewarding.

Working with the PVC, you must maintain particular speed and execution of mould fitting and cooling. A bad joint often remains bad and cannot be fixed. Understanding how the material works has been essential in producing accurate and calculated forms and details. b. 3D Printing having done basic work with 3D printers before, this often ranged from small models and representation work to small prototypes.

Working with electrical components and bearing systems, I had developed an understanding of technical constraints, operational stress and real performance. This is a field where tools like finite element anlysis are involved in high-end CNC and component production.

A fine understanding of where my work sits has been very useful to situate my skills and tools within a broader context of fabrication and production.

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Fig.08 (left) Early proposal drawing Fig.09 (below) Development drawing

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Fig.10 (left) Development drawings Fig.11 (below) Development installation plans

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Process & Methods

Control Systems A number of control systems have been incorporated as part of the work; the network of mechanical nodes and their operation on real world environments.

The physical sensor discs around the robot’s feet as a trigger for new search behaviour.

Lastly, the limiting effect of the linkge members on overall network behaviour and the robot’s response to situations.

These arms are sequentially connection by order of length with two member linkages.

Together the systems elements are co-dependent, when forces are exerted on one nodal point the remainder of the nodes will change position in response.

When this is applied with vector forces, the result is a swarm colony where one change of direction influences all other colony members. Producing spatially aware behaviour.

a. Network and particle system The particle system is made up b. Sensor discs of four arms of varied length The sensor discs are acrylic laseremanating from a central point. cut and perform two functions critical to the robot’s operation; they protect the movement perimeter of the motors, and they transfer forces from one foot to the next. c. Linkages The linkages are an average of 200mm per link and vary slightly to allow the nodes to cross over to the maximum position on either side of the arm at any one point, allowing the robot to expand to 280 degrees of a circle.

Fig.09a-b (top far left) Images of the Pirouetting robot Fig.09c-d (far left) Drawing the Movement of the Arms Fig .10 (left) Acrylic Disc Closeup

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Occupation and Interaction I set out to explore the behaviour of the robot around a constructed environment, looking at how navigation behaviours can operate through embodied technology. The drawings on this spread speculate on how the robot might operate in relation to people. In so far as testing has shown, people relate to the robot as a slightly strange and intimidating creature, they construct it as a controlled pet that follows a person or explores spaces around it.

These qualities are psychologically embedded in people, they effectively construct the black-box effect of the robot as a grey box in order to rationalise what it does.

As far as the actual interaction, the robot has performed successful against the design criteria, it correctly and functionally explores any real environment it is situated in.

The concepts developed can be scaled up and applied to much larger swarm systems in more complex situations.

Review of Outcomes

Fig.11 (left) Hypothetical situation A in Plan Fig.12 (right) Constructed situation of three robots Fig.13 (overleaf ) Testing of the Pirouette robot in a constructed environment

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Fig.14 (left) Simulated particle system representing the elements of the robot and their network behaviour

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Review of Outcomes

interactions with people have been minimal, indeed the this learned from this project is as follows: that network and particle systems can be applied robustly to real world mathematical problems. That they can also be developed as physical and distributed computational systems whose effects are both virtual and real.

brickwork; we can start to think up of computationally active buildings that are part of a larger network of urban nodes.

Other appolications can extend to transportation, movement, information technology and data gathering. Using real-time inputs to generate changes in the city.

Insights derived also relate to the scaling up of such systems into building and urban environments. if we imagined the application of these techniques and methods to systems composed of large numbers of smaller elements, like

Dissemination and Future Work Two of these robots will be exhibited in October 2015 alongside the work ‘Liminal’ by Kieren Reed at the Herbert Read Gallery in UCA Canterbury; in an exhibition titled Despite Efficiency: Actions and Intentions. The work will examine what it means to have apparent agency of action with no clear end-goal or desire.

Putting in focus the cultural effects of large-scale network behaviours and the perceived agency of individuals or lack thereof.

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Fig.15 (left) Close up of robot foot and sensor disc

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Appendix

Appendix Annotated Code Excerpts This code was developed as a tool for representing and developing a functional understanding of network and particle systems under real world conditions. Code was written for processing and executed to produced graphical representations of motion behaviour of the device. // PDF Drawing Library import processing.pdf.*; //Define strut series FixedArms s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, s7, s8, s10; //Define gravity variable float gravity = 0.0; void setup() { size(1200, 700); //frameRate(30); background(204); smooth(); fill(0); // aRM Inputs: x, y, mass, gravity, length s1 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/2, 1.5, gravity, 300/3); s2 = new FixedArms(height/3, width/2, 1.5, gravity, 300/3); s3 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 300/3); s4 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 500/3); s5 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 400/3); s7 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 700/3); s8 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 400/3); s10 = new FixedArms(height/2, width/3, 1.5, gravity, 900/3);

}

//PDF Export recording beginRecord(PDF, “everything.pdf”);

void draw() { //background(255) //fill(204, 25); //rect(0, 0, 1200, 700); long ticker = 0;

long m = millis(); int interval = 200; if (m - ticker > interval) { fill(204, 25); rect(0, 0, 1200, 700); ticker = millis(); } fill(0); s1.update(s2.x, s2.y); s2.update(s3.x, s3.y); s3.update(s4.x, s4.y); s4.update(s1.x, s1.y); s5.update(s4.x, s4.y); s5.update(s7.x, s7.y); s7.update(s1.x, s1.y); s8.update(s7.x, s7.y); s8.update(s10.x, s10.y); s10.update(s1.x, s1.y); //----------------------s1.display(s2.x, s2.y); s2.display(s3.x, s3.y); s3.display(s4.x, s4.y); s4.display(s1.x, s1.y); s5.display(s4.x, s4.y); s5.display(s7.x, s7.y); s7.display(s1.x, s1.y); s8.display(s7.x, s7.y); s8.display(s10.x, s10.y); s10.display(s1.x, s1.y); if (mousePressed == true) { s1.x = mouseX; s1.y = mouseY; } //saveFrame(“d:/code animation/animation-######.png”); } //Saving PDF key command void keyPressed() { if (key == ‘q’) { endRecord(); exit(); } }

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Materials and Suppliers List PVC Conduit (from Screwfix, Canterbury, 0500 414141 )

3000 x 64 units of 20mm PVC Conduit Other sundries:

7 100:1 12V motors ( Maplin)

Wire and cabling (Maplin)

Switches (Maplin)

9V Batteries x14

Various found objects

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Appendix

Bibliography Brooks, Rodney A. Cambrian Intelligence: The Early History of the New AI. London, England: The MIT Press, 1999.

Clark, Andy. Supersizing the Mind. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Gage, Stephen. “How to design a black and white box.” Kybernetes, 36 (9-10), 2007: 1329-1339.

Frazer, John. An Evolutionary Architecture. London: Thames VII, 1995.

Glanville, Ranulph. “An intelligent architecture.” Convergence 7 (2), 2001: 12-24.

Paul, Chanda. “Morphology and Computation.” From animals to animats: Proceedings of the eighth international conference on the simulation of adaptive behavior. Los Angeles: MIT Press, 2004. 33-38.

Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. “Behaviour, Purpose and Teleology.” Philosophy of Science 10, no. 1 (1943): 18-24.

Image Credits All figures are copyright the author unless noted as follows: Figure 02 Lewis, Tim (2012) Salvador Dali Writing Machine [Photograph] At:http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/gallery/9510/1/tim-lewis-at-kinetica-art-fair (Accessed on 22.08.2015)

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Credits MA Architecture Course Leader: Sam McElhinney MA Architecture Design Tutor: David Di Duca Visiting Critics 2014/15: Jonty Craig - BAT Studio Jon Hodges - Bare Conductive Guy Woodhouse - Piercy & Co. David Lomax - Waugh Thistleton Architects Fiona Zisch - University of Westminster Clemens Plank - University of Innsbruck Tetsuro Nagata - Nissen Richards Studio Elizabeth Upham - MUD Architecture Technical Support: Christopher Settle Ben Westacot Simon Nimo UCA Research Funding UCA Herbert Read Gallery

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