Resinance

2013 Installations Interactive Research Teaching Workshops

Resinance is a speculative installation merging digital design and fabrication processes with smart material research, physical computing, electronics and investigations into distributed networks, swarm intelligence and agent-based behaviour. It was realized in March 2013 by the MAS class at the Chair for CAAD at ETH Zurich as part of the materiability research.

The project consists of 40 active elements that respond to human touch by the subtle process of changing surface colour and transparency, as well as the more immediate response of shivering and vibrating. On top of the individual behaviour, the elements are networked, and interactions are transmitted and processed throughout the installation. Resinance takes its inspiration from simple biological processes of adaptivity and camouflage; as such, its performance is not a one-to-one correlation of interaction to effect. Instead, the installation uses networked and evolving behaviour that relies on colour and vibration to reward or discourage interaction. Resinance is conceived at a number of levels. The first, ‘Cell,’ focuses on the digital design and fabrication of hollow components, emphasizing the material behaviour and fabrication methods. The second, ‘Metabolism’ investigates the responsive nature of each element, in its embedded electronic sensing and activating capabilities, as well as its control algorithms. The last part, ‘Ecology,’ adds communication between the elements, and develops their emergent behaviour and networked agency.

Credits

Team
Achilleas Xydis, Baldwin Mark, In Jessica, Janjusevic Tihomir, Jiang Nan, Letkemann Joel, Miranda Turu Nicolás, Prieler Irene, Schildberger David, Shammas Demetris, Smigielska Maria, Tanigaito Aki, Xexaki Evi, Yuko Ishizu
Supervisor
Manuel Kretzer
Co-Supervisors
Benjamin Dillenburger, Hironori Yoshida, Tomasz Jaskiewicz, Mariana Popescu, Andrei Pruteanu, Stefan Dulman, Weixin Huang and Lei Yu
Photo credits
Achilleas Xydis, Demetris Shammas