PIXELS by Patrick Jean

http://www.vimeo.com/10829255

Interesting concept video. PIXELS is Patrick Jean’ latest short film, shot on location in New York.

Firefly by SENSEable City Lab

Flyfire, a project initiated by the SENSEable City Laboratory in collaboration with ARES Lab (Aerospace Robotics and Embedded Systems Laboratory) aims to transform any ordinary space into a highly immersive and interactive display environment.

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Curious Displays by Julia Yu Tsao

http://www.vimeo.com/9486977

Curious Displays functions simultaneously as a form of design research and as a proposal for a new product, a future display technology. Curious Displays is a product proposal for a new platform for display technology. Instead of a fixed form factor screen, the display surface is instead broken up into hundreds of ½ inch display blocks. Each block operates independently as a self-contained unit, and has full mobility, allowing movement across any physical surface. The blocks operate independently of one another, but are aware of the position and role relative to the rest of the system. With this awareness, the blocks are able to coordinate with the other blocks to reconfigure their positioning to form larger display surfaces and forms depending on purpose and function. In this way, the blocks become a physical embodiment of digital media, and act as a vehicle for the physical manifestation of what typically exists only in the virtual space of the screen. More of Julia’s great work can be seen on her website.

I Am Concept Video by Tronic Studio

http://www.vimeo.com/7400277

Tronic recently created a great concept video showing reprogrammable matter. The video is described, “The title comes from the animals’ declaration of who they are. Each animal says, “I AM the elephant” and “I AM the horse” and it’s through language that they are reinforcing their physicality and their place in the world.”

Soft Morphing Blob by iRobot

I was recently at thefirst architecture robotics conference in Orlando and discussing “jamming” prototypes with Cornell phd students. The prototypes I saw were about the size of a quarter and looked quite structural. iRobot is currently developing a soft ball robot that can inflate and move via the “jamming” phenomena. iRobot’s soft, shape-shifting robot blob can roll around and change shape, and it will be able to squeeze through tiny cracks in a wall when the project is finished. Video presented at IEEE IROS 2009. More info can be viewed on the IEEE website.

OctArm by Clemson Researchers

Really interesting robotic tentacle test part of DARPA’s Biologically Inspired Multifunctional Dynamic Robots (BIODYNOTICS) program.

All that is solid melts into the air by Kultnation

http://www.vimeo.com/6504980

Really interesting 3d transformable structure. More information here.

Jollbot by Rhodri Armour

The first jumping and rolling robot, Jollbot has been created by Rhodri Armour, a PhD student from the University of Bath. Its hoped his creation, which can jump over obstacles and roll over smoother terrain, could be used for space exploration or land survey work in the future.