Lukas Rambold, Robert Kovacs, Min Deng, Antonius Naumann, Konrad Gerlach, Horatio Hamkins, Helena Lendowski, Chiao Fang, Shohei Katakura, Conrad Lempert, Muhammad Abdullah, Patrick Baudisch

We present a fabrication system called AirForce that allows users to create large-scale, load-bearing animated structures from a single inflatable tube. AirForce builds on the personal fabrication of animated truss structures, based on which it replaces not only the static elements with tube, but also introduces tube-based actuators that integrate with that same tube. This ‘single-tube’ design affords efficient single-person assembly, excellent power-to-weight ratio, easy transport and setup, and 100% material reuse. We show three variants of actuators: buckling actuators for pushing, muscle actuators for pulling, and telescoping actuators for large forces. Our blender plugin enables users to place actuators in structures and export instructions for efficient fabrication. We demonstrate a 6DOF motion platform that lifts humans and an 8m high animatronic T-rex that animates with 3DOF, enabled by custom hardware components. In our technical evaluation, the three actuators delivered 480N, 1420N, and 2330N peak forces, respectively.

As illustrated by the following figure, (a) AirForce allows a single user to create large-scale animated structures efficiently from a single tube by (b) adding constrictions, (c) adding custom inlets and custom blowers, pre-inflating tubes, (d) tying up the truss structure, and (e) fully inflating the structure. (g) AirForce also allows unfolding and (h) refolding a structure into a different design with nearly 100% material reuse.

As illustrated by the 16m-long, 8m-high animatronic T-Rex shown in the following figure, three different variants of integrated pneumatic actuators handle three types of requirements: buckling actuators allow for long-amplitude push action, here opening and closing the dinosaur’s jaw. Muscle actuators allow pulling, here moving the dinosaur’s tail up and down, and telescoping actuators produce large forces, here allowing the entire 60kg structure to tilt.

To discuss which future interactions and use-cases this system enables, we produced a short film called "The Revenge":