openMaterials

The OpenStructures project is an open and modular construction system where everyone designs for everyone on the basis of one shared geometrical grid: It is an ongoing experiment that wants to find out what happens if people design objects according to a shared modular grid, a common open standard that stimulates the exchange of parts, components, [...]

I thought I’d share with you how methylenchlorid can be used to glue and fix different plastics. Here’s an experiment I’ve just done using a hacked servo (continuous rotation) and polystyrene and methylenchlorid to make a linear actuator. The video below shows how easy it is to use methylenchlorid: If you can see this, [...]

Some things are so simple we don’t even think about writing them down. We assume everyone knows them. Well, that may often be true, but not always. The materials 101 series is our attempt at systematizing, through a series of thematic blog posts, some basic materials-related knowledge that is ‘out there.’ The series will thus provide [...]

Teaching Resources at Middlesex University (MUTR) is a UK-based online store with a mission to support technology teachers. They provide wonderful materials at affordable prices: from expancel, carbon nanotubes, SMAs, SMPs, photochromic and thermocromic materials, paper-making sets, to motors, solar panels, electronic components, as well as traditional materials such as paper, wood, and metal - [...]

For the last couple of years a colleague of mine Ken Gregory has been researching kites as sound instruments. What he has produced is an Aeolian Kite, the kite functions similarly to an Aeolian Harp or wind harp. Rather than having stretched strings vibrated by the blowing wind to produce sound, the sound is produced [...]

Interactivos?’09: Garage Science was an intensive project development workshop (January 28 through February 14, 2009) and a seminar that explored practices where art, science and technology meet. Participants were invited to turn the Medialab Prado, Madrid into a garage laboratory where low-cost, accessible materials were used to develop objects and installations that combine software, hardware [...]