Huff & Puff
From ITPedia
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| Made by | Adi Marom, Angela Chen |
| Made for | Mechanisms and Things That Move Spring '09 with Dustyn Roberts |
| Founding Members | |
| Short description | Listen in to a lively dialogue between two puffer fishes |
| Displayed at (Venues) | Spring Show 2009 |
| Homepage Location | http://itp.nyu.edu/%7Eam2950/Huff&Puff/ |
| Additional Keywords | mechanisms, physical computing, Biomimietics, kinetic art |
Description
Huff & Puff is a machine that displays two lively puffer-fishes in a synchronized puffing dialogue.
The idea was to try and recreate natures matchless mechanism. We choose to mimic the puffers unique natural defense mechanism, which allows the fish to inflate rapidly (by filling their elastic body with water). Translating this smooth mechanism into in a manmade artifact was a challenge.
The puffer fishes in the Huff & Puff machine inflate by two pumps - a double piston-and-crank mechanism that expand and contract the fish spherical structure. The mechanism is powered by a geared DC motor, as the rotary motion of the motors is converted to the reciprocating motion of the pumps.
The fishes spherical shape was created out of a single paper with a special folding pattern.
The mechanism itself is an assembly of specially designed linkages (laser-cut out of a 1/8 acrylic sheet) and acrylic rods. This design and the materials selection for the machine illustrate the idea ofthe flexible puffer fish body as a whimsical counterpoint to the solid sleek nature of the linkages and pistons used to make them expand and contract.
Looking at the large puffing mechanism of the fishes, we appreciate how nature was able to condense the unique locomotion and defense mechanisms into swimming fishes.
