By
Hasier Larrea-Tamayo
B.S. Industrial Engineering
M.S. Industrial Engineering
University of Navarra, 2012
Submitted to the Program in Media Arts and Sciences,
School of Architecture and Planning, on May 8, 2015 in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MEDIA ARTS AND SCIENCES at the
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
June 2015
@2015. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All rights reserved.
MASSACHUSETTS
INSTITUTE
OF rECHNOLOLGY
JUN 12 2015
Signature of Author:
Certified by: ..........
A
..................
and Sciences Program in Media Arts
May 8, 2015
.............. ...
Kent Larson
Principal Research Scientist
Thesis Supervisor
Accepted by: ...
Prof. Pattie Maes
Academic Head
Program in Media Arts and Sciences

2

By
Hasier Larrea-Tamayo
Submitted to the Program in Media Arts and Sciences,
School of Architecture and Planning, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of
Master of Science in Media Arts and Sciences
Urban space is too valuable to be static and unresponsive. Our cities are in urgent need of new architectural solutions that maximize space efficiency and respond to the complexities of life.
What if the traditionally passive spatial elements, that give shape to our architectural spaces, could become dynamic and connected?What if furniture could have superpowers?
In this thesis we explore a future where desks can robotically move and transform, walls can be customized and serve as a hardware platform to integrate state of the art sensor technologies, beds can become a smart home hub, closets can communicate and support new functionalities, spatial elements are finally part of the Internet of Things and the home, the office, the hotel room becomes programmable. A new generation of architectural spaces is envisioned, in which heavy furniture is moved as if it was weightless and new functionalities can be programmed with downloadable apps.
In order to make this vision a reality, a new engineering toolkit is proposed, a kit of parts that allow architects and designers to create this kind of multifunctional and responsive spaces. ARkits present the framework for a new robotic genre: a hardware-software platform and modular system to create a scalable strategy for a new generation of spaces that are efficient, experiential and fun.
The home of the future is not a single design, but rather a platform.
Thesis Supervisor: Kent Larson
Title: Principal Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab
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4

By
Hasier Larrea-Tamayo
The following people served as readers for this thesis:
Thesis Reader:...................................
Nicholas Negroponte
Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
g
Thesis Reader:..........................
Pattie Maes
Alex W. D reyfoos Professor of Media Technology
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6

It's been quite a ride.
A billion thanks to Kent, for giving me the opportunity of my life.
Thanks to my all-star team, for making the impossible possible. I look forward to keep making great things with you. Luis, Carlos, Ivan, Chad, Eric, Spencer,
Yousif, Daniel, Dennis, Dalitso, Phillip and all my past urops and teammates,
Oier, Carlos 0...
Thanks to Fundaci6n La Caixa for supporting all of this work.
Thanks to all those other colleagues that helped me grow: Ling Yi, Will, Ryan,
Joost and a long etcetera.
Thanks to everyone that, one way or the other, played a part in this story: thesis readers, Media Lab friends, fablab managers, facilities, academic officers...
Thanks to Nicholas for challenging every single assumption I made.
And of course, to the people I always wanna make the most proud:
Aita eta Ama. Eli, Elene, Iker eta Horacio. Amatxi. Xabier, Ane eta datozenak.
Adriana.
"La dicha en la vida es tener algo que hacer, algo que esperar
y alguien a quien amar"
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8

ABSTRACT
CITIES AND URBAN SPACE
1.1. BEYOND SMART CITIES
1.2. THE CHALLENGE OF URBAN SPACE
1.3. ROADMAP TO THESIS
DESIGNING SPACES OF THE FUTURE THE OLD WAY
2.1. DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
2.2. TECHNOLOGY AND THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
ARCHITECTURAL ROBOTICS
3.1. ROBOTIG TRANSFORMATION
3.2. CUSTOMIZATION
3.3. SMART HUB
3.4. PROGRAMMABILITY
3.5. CASE STUDY: CITYHOME 200 SQ. FT. PROTOTYPE
ARKITS: ARCHITECTURAL ROBOTICS KITS
4.1. A ROBOTIC TOOLKIT TO DEPLOY AT SCALE
4.2. THEORY: SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
4.3. PRACTICE: TRANSLATION
DESIGNING SPACES OF THE FUTURE THE NEW WAY
5.1. HOMES
5.2. OFFICE
5.3. OTHERS
CONCLUSION
WORKS CITED
APPENDIX
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43
46
50
54
60
62
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15
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27
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Collage picture of Earth at Night (Image:NASA) [2]
Figure 2: Comparison between a Paris Cafe in 1920 (National Geographic [4]) and a road in India 2000's (Knaphill.org [5])
15
[15]
Figure 5: Ikea's showroom as another example of the same approach (photo
18
Figure 3: CityScience urban systems summary poster (photo by Kent Larson) 19
Figure 4: "What's In" 350 sq.ft apartment shown as an example of this approach
30 from inhabitat.com) [16]
Figure 6: Plan of the Rietveld Schroder House [17]
31
32
Figure 7: Gary Chang's apartment [18]
Figure 8: Gary Chang's 24 rooms in 1 (photo from studyblue.com) [18]
Figure 9: Life Edited Apartment in New York with Resource Furniture (photo courtesy of LifeEdited) [19]
33
33
34
Figure 10: Bedaway bed showcasing a counterweighted bed (photo courtesy of
Bedaway) [21] 35
Figure 11: Bruynzeel office solutions showcasing a moving wall system (photo courtesy of Bruynzeel) [22] 36
Figure 12: YoHome apartment, UK, showcasing a mechatronic bed (photo courtesy of YoHome) [23] 37
Figure 13: Liftbed commercial bed installed with heavy-duty mechanical columns
(photo courtesy of LiftBed) [24]
Figure 14: Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland [25]
Figure 15: Microsoft Home of the Future [26]
Figure 16: SmartThings smart hub and app [29]
38
39
40
41
Figure 17: Phillips Hue [31] and Nest Thermostat as examples of smart products
[32] 42
Figure 18: Standard Chassis and Smart Infill (Changing Places Group) 44
Figure 20: Robowall 2nd generation prototype (Changing Places)
Figure 21: force sensitive resistor based pressure interface (Zbode Systems)
48 integrated in Robowall 49
Figure 22: Home Genome Project showing a user profile translated into a spatial configuration (Dan Smithwick - left, Kent Larson -right)[34] 50
Figure 23: Home Genome Project building blocks showing configuration possibilities (rendering by Carla Farina) [34]
Figure 24: Dynamic function blocks as prototyped with a closet, bed and table
51
(photos courtesy of Zbode Systems) 52
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Figure 25: Furniture personalization approach where a user profile is translated into a furniture design (Profile images by D. Smithwick, furniture study by P.
Ewing)
Figure 26: PlaceLab instrumented apartment (photo by Kent Larson)
Figure 27: PlaceLab's custom cabinetry integrating sensors (photo by Kent
53
55
Larson) 56
Figure 28: BoxLab implementation in a conventional home (photo & design by J.
Nawyn) [35] 57
Figure 29: BoxLab kiosks deployed in a conventional home. Numbers show locations. (photo & design by J. Nawyn) [35] 58
Figure 30: From the BoxLab to the FurnitureLab; how the intelligence could move from "boxes" to furniture (Image courtesy of Changing Places) 59
Figure 31: Smart phone app ecosysystem symbolic visualization (Image from desk.com) [37] 60
Figure 32: Home small scale mock up where gestures where first explored (photo
by H. Larrea)
Figure 34: CityHome dining configuration (photo MIT Media Lab)
Figure 35: CityHome office configuration (photo MIT Media Lab)
Figure 36: CityHome bedroom configuration (photo MIT Media Lab)
Figure 37: CityHome bathing configuration (photo MIT Media Lab)
Figure 39: Customization options of the 200 sq. ft. CityHome furniture element
(rendering by P. Ewing)
Figure 41: Pressure sensors to control transformation integrated into furniture
68
(photo by MIT Media Lab) 69
Figure 42: Everywhere interface created by a pan/tilt projector on the ceiling that projects dynamic interfaces on demand (photo by MIT Media Lab) 70
Figure 43: Lego Mindstorms catalog as shown in their website [39]
Figure 44: LittleBits components as shown in their website [42]
Figure 45: From Lego Robots to Architectural Robots - pictures of prototypes
72
73
61
64
65
66
67 built during 2011-2014 (photos courtesy of MIT Media Lab and Zbode Systems)
Figure 46: ARkits blocks, inspired by the Lego Mindstorms system architecture,
74 showing the different functionality layers 75
Figure 47: ARkits detailed system architecture showing the current breakdown of components 76
Figure 48: ARkits detailed system architecture as a base for creating the different blocks. Different colors show how components group in the different functionality layers 77
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Figure 49: Basic mechanical blocks providing the different movement possibilities
78
Figure 50: a 1 bedroom "home made of translations" showing the different positions of closets, bed, cabinets, tables... (photo courtesy of H. Larrea and
Zbode Systems) 79
Figure 51: Drive modules on the 2nd robowall (see chapter 3.1. of this thesis)_ 80
Figure 52: Robocouch being powered by the drive modules shown above
Figure 53: Sketch of the ceiling deployment mechanical system concept
Figure 54: Prior drop down table prototype being deployed from the ceiling using
80
81 an electronic interface inspired by a manual string interface (photo courtesy of
Zbode Systems) [44] 82
Figure 55: Grove i/o blocks as an example of input/output peripheral blocks as shown on their website [45] 83
Figure 56: Brain block architecture schematic
Figure 57: Translation robot version 1 as built in January 2015
Figure 58: Translation robot version 3 as built in March 2015
Figure 59: 1st generation brain block as built in March 2015 (photo by C. Bean)
85
89
90
91
Figure 60: Computing master - on the left - and brain block - on the right (diagram
by C. Rubio) 92
Figure 61: API system architecture divided in functionality blocks (diagram by C.
Rubio) 93
Figure 62: CityHome and CityOff ice versions (renderings by K. Larson and
CityScience 2014 workshop team)
Figure 63: 300, 450, 590 and 670 sq. ft empty chassis
Figure 64: 300 sq.ft. concept featuring a dropdown bed and table
95
96
97
Figure 65: 450 sq. ft. concept featuring a drop down table, bed and robowall__ 97
Figure 66: 670 sq. ft. concept featuring two drop down beds, a drop down table and two robowalls 98
Figure 67: Rendering of the 670 sq. ft. apartment's living room with a specific material choice (rendering by K. Larson, Zbode Systems) 98
Figure 68: 300 sq. ft. CityHome featuring dropdown bed, table and moving closet
(plans by L. Alonso) 99
Figure 69: User moving the bed up with the touch interface. Two translation robots can be seen mounted to the wall 100
Figure 70: User moving the closet with the touch interface and creating a walk in closet 101
Figure 71: Renderings of possible aesthetic designs of the 300 sq. ft. apartment
(renderings by P. Ewing) 102
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Figure 72: 400 sq. ft. CityHome showing the different possible space configurations (plans by P. Ewing) 103
Figure 73: NodeRed interface showing the different nodes used for programming
(photo by C. Rubio) 104
Figure 74: CityOffice concept renderings showing different possible configurations (renderings by K. Kitayama, J. Pace, R. Simlai) [47]
Figure 75: Translation robowall integrating additional internal transformations
(rendering by J. Pace, J. Hamman) [47]
106
107
Figure 76: Schematic of the family of navigation robots (renderings by J.
Hamman) [47] 107
Figure 77: Sketch of ceiling deployed room separators (renderings by J. Pace, J.
Hamman) [47] 108
Figure 78: CityOffice prototype showcasing the different types of mechanical movements [47] uses (renderings by L. Alonso)
108
Figure 79: CityOffice configurations as built in December 2014 [48] 109
Figure 80: Hospital kubo showing the different transformation to adapt to different
110
Figure 81: 300 sq.ft conventional (left) VS transformable hotel room (right) featuring drop down bed and table 111
Figure 82: CruiseLiner ARkits study showing the different possible configurations
(renderings by L. Alonso) 112
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The planet is undergoing a period of extreme urbanization. Perhaps the greatest challenge of our era is to create livable, hyper-efficient, creative cities.
Cities in the future must respond to evolving demographics, limited resources, climate change, globalization, and new patterns of work and entrepreneurship.
The City Science Initiative at the MIT Media Lab (Kent Larson et al.) is committed to the proposition that "the human experience and economic vitality of cities can be improved while dramatically reducing resource consumption. The challenge of extreme urbanization can be met through the integrated application of nextgeneration design strategies, innovative technology, creative engagement with industry, and enlightened public policy" [1].
Figure 1: Collage picture of Earth at Night (Image:NASA) [2]
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1.1. BEYOND SMART CITIES
This thesis builds on top of the "Beyond Smart Cities" vision by the CityScience
Initiative at the MIT Media Lab.
From urban optimization to urban disruption.
The following excerpt from the Beyond Smart Cities Seminar at MIT, led by Kent
Larson and Ryan Chin [3], summarizes the idea that optimization approaches are not sufficient to tackle some of the biggest societal challenges the world is facing.
"Current Smart City approaches are a game of optimization. Today, academic research and industrial applications in the area of Smart Cities seek to optimize existing city infrastructure, networks, and urban behavior through the deployment and utilization of digital networks. Cities that employ optimization techniques have reported improvements in energy efficiency, water use, public safety, road congestion, and many other areas. However, optimization has its limits. For instance, the improvement of traffic flow in most cities can approach 10% based on current Smart Cities approaches such as sensing the road network, predicting the demand, and controlling traffic signaling. Research and investments in new urban systems are fundamentally critical because optimization will have little effect for rapidly urbanizing cities such as Bangalore, India, which experience around the clock congestion. We can move beyond Smart Cities by focusing on disruptive innovations in technology, design, planning, policy, and strategies that can bring dramatic improvements in urban livability and sustainability".
A city for people, not for machines.
The current methods of city design date back to the 17th century, when engineers and city planners developed centralized networks to deliver drinking water, food, and energy. Similarly structured centralized networks were designed to facilitate transportation and remove waste.
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These infrastructure-heavy solutions, however, are becoming increasingly obsolete. Modern cities designed around the private automobile, with singlefunction zoning, are becoming more congested, polluted, and unsafe. Citizens are spending more of their valuable time commuting, and communities are becoming increasingly detached. Many modern cities simply do not function properly.
"Rather than separate systems by function - water, food, waste, transport, education, energy - we must consider them holistically. Instead of focusing only on access and distribution systems, our cities need dynamic, networked, selfregulating systems that take into account complex interactions. In short, to ensure a sustainable future society, we must deploy emerging technologies to create a nervous system for cities that supports the stability of their government, energy, mobility, work, and public health networks." [4]
Compact, diverse, walkable and attractive cities are a luxury, but they should not be. The City Science Initiative at the MIT Media Lab is exploring methodologies and technology to facilitate the creation of desirable urban features, such as shared electric vehicles, adaptable living environments, and flexible work spaces.
"Our goal is to design urban cells that are compact enough to be walkable and foster casual interactions, without sacrificing connectivity to their larger urban surroundings. These cells must be sufficiently autonomous and provide resiliency, consistent functionality, and elegant urban design. Most importantly, the cellular city must be highly adaptable so it can respond dynamically to changes in the structure of its economic and social activities. "[4]
"Cities are for people, not for machines" Kent Larson
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Figure 2: Comparison between a Paris Cafe in 1920 (National Geographic [4]) and a road
(Knaphill.org [5]) in India 2000's
High performance, entrepreneurial, livable urban districts.
At the CityScience Initiative, we ask ourselves the following question: What enables high performance, entrepreneurial, livable urban districts?
In order to achieve 1) reduced resource consumption per person, 2) jobs, creative interactions, innovations and 3) quality of life and wellness, we believe the answer lies in combining the following three factors:
DENSITY + PROXIMITY + DIVERSITY
Density is the number of people/amenities per km2.
Proximity is the rating of the distance from each home to each amenity.
Diversity should be of different types: demographic, enterprise, housing, cultural venues, recreational opportunities, etc.
And the challenge that arises from this formula is the following:
How can we design new urban systems that allow districts to realize the positives of an increase in density -vibrancy, more restaurants, jobs, GDP, patents, etc. - without the negatives usually associated with density -congestion, pollution, crowding, loss of contact with nature, crime, disease, etc.-?
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New urban systems.
A new generation of disruptive urban systems needs to be created in order to, not optimize, but reinvent the cities where most of the world population will live in the following years. This means rethinking the strategies to move around, the way we generate and distribute our energy, the methods we use to produce our food, the tools for urban planning, and of course, the focus of this thesis, the way we design and create our urban architectural spaces.
Figure 3: CityScience urban systems summary poster (photo by Kent Larson)
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1.2. THE CHALLENGE OF URBAN SPACE
The status quo.
Think about the urban spaces that surround us. Our homes, workplaces, hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals.
Now think about how architects, designers, even ourselves, commonly define and lay out the spaces where we experience the day to day.
We take an empty space and we think about functions, activities that will happen in that space. Designers assign specific functions to discrete spaces, resulting in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, conference rooms, examination rooms, etc., and most spaces are unused most of the time.
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Modern architecture and engineering have many examples of lessons learned from ancient methodologies. When it comes to architectural spaces and urban living, the problem is that Romans did not have the challenges we face today.
The planet is undergoing a period of extreme urbanization. In October 2011 world population hit 7 billion and, for the first time in history, more than 50% of the people live in cities [7]. Cities in the 21st century will account for nearly 90% of global population growth, 80% of wealth creation, and 60% of total energy consumption [8]. A McKinsey Global Institute report states [9], "by 2025 cities are expected to need to build floor space equivalent to 85% of today's building
21

stock". In China and India, it is estimated that 600 million rural people will migrate to cities over the next 15 years, requiring new urban apartments equivalent to double the current number of homes in the US [10].
If urban population is growing at such an incredible rate and infrastructure supply and demand are overwhelmingly unbalanced, there is no other solution than to start thinking about how we can make a more efficient use of our resources. One of the key resources is undoubtedly space and it is extremely difficult to transition to a new era of space efficiency when we continue to conceive space the same way we did hundreds of years ago. The old space design paradigm works well when you have plenty of space to work with, but fails dramatically when large populations must be housed in increasingly expensive urban areas. The traditional approach to creating living and working space is extremely wasteful of valuable resources.
If we are driving towards a highly urbanized world, in which cities are the center of economic, social, cultural vibrancy and the source of most innovation and wealth creation, one of the greatest challenges of our era is to make this urban living sustainable. It is a societal imperative to develop a more rational and efficient approach to living and working space.
An indicator of an unmet need: housing for young professionals.
The tremendous challenge we are facing can be better understood with an example of a currently unmet need.
In cities where entrepreneurship is thriving, from New York to London to
Shanghai, housing is increasingly expensive. Market rate real estate development primarily focuses on luxury housing, and rarely addresses the needs of young professionals, students, families, and seniors. Recent articles capture this trend:
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"Millennial generation as a whole prefers to live where housing is
expensive and where building is difficult .... For the average young professional - not a strategy consultant at a big consulting firm or a tech worker at Sillicon Valley - this is impossible," Fortune, 2015.
"Meet the endangered species of the downtown Boston real estate market: The millennial buyer," Boston.com, 2014.
"Raking It In and Still Priced Out. Young professionals in
Manhattan are finding it increasingly difficult to find apartments, even for those with steady incomes," Nypress.com, 2014.
"Most Middle-Class, Millennial Homebuyers Priced Out of Bay
Area," Pacific Union, Bay Area Real Estate Blog, 2014.
"Priced out of the capital city: London is losing its lustre for younger people," The Guardian, 2014.
"Sydney housing prices lock out young people from property market. We are creating a city for millionaires." Sidney Morning
Herald, 2014.
"China's new cool thing: getting priced out of the housing market",
Foreign Policy Magazine, 2015.
"Bay Area will face a further shortage of 29,000 units by 2025, leaving the region's teachers, firefighters, nurses, and other workers vital to the regional economy priced out," Urban Land
Institute Report, 2009.
"Young, single... and priced out of buying a home in almost ALL of the country," Daily Mail UK, 2013.
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"Is your relationship status pricing you out of the housing market?
Single first-time buyers on an average salary are badly affected when it comes to buying a property," The Guardian, 2014.
"Up in Years and All but Priced Out of New York," New York
Times, 2014.
In particular, the "creative class" is being priced out of the market and forced to commute long distances, live in cramped and often shared spaces, or relocate.
The case of young professionals and entrepreneurs is especially alarming, as we are pricing out of our cities the very people these places need to remain globally competitive in an interconnected world. As a consequence, Mayors worldwide are seeking solutions [11] that allow their cities to provide high-quality, diverse, affordable housing in order to remain competitive (see also "Housing a Changing
City: Boston 2030," an initiative to create workforce housing by Mayor Marty
Walsh).
A new housing model is needed to respond directly to the changing needs and values of young urban professionals, who increasingly consider housing a service and the home as the center of work, entertainment, health care, communication, and commerce [12]. There is a tremendous opportunity to create living environments that provide rich experiences for the occupants, who are willing to trade space (not experience or functionality) for an opportunity to live, work, and play in a walkable, vibrant central location.
Old solutions don't solve new problems.
Micro units are a good case study to understand the need for new architectural solutions.
Multi-family real estate developers are experimenting with tiny apartments to meet this significant unmet need. The Daily Real Estate News recently published
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an article entitled "Micro-Apartments Becoming the New Rage," stating that apartments that "range between 180 and 300 square feet are growing in popularity among young professionals, singles, and even some retirees and
empty-nesters ... developers are creating efficient designs to maximize every
square inch" [13]. Innovative developers are finding that well-designed very small apartments can be more profitable: more units can be included in a development, lease prices are higher per square foot, and vacancy rates are often lower than conventional apartments [14]. While occupants of micro-units appreciate the lower price, there is general dissatisfaction with the lack of storage, tiny kitchens and baths, and limited social, dining, and working space.
The Urban Land Institute Report "The Macro View on Micro Units" (2015) highlights the following:
"Results from the survey of potential micro-unit renters currently living in conventional units revealed that the majority of respondents (58 percent) were probably or definitely not interested in renting micro units, with 18 percent unsure and 24 percent probably or definitely interested.
Those uninterested in a micro unit most frequently cited lack of a separate bedroom (75 percent), less storage space (63 percent), and less living or dining space (60 percent) as the reasons for their disinterest."
All of these insights are a consequence of applying old space paradigms to try to solve the new problems we face today.
Opportunities.
Urban space is too valuable to be static and unresponsive. On account of old space design approaches, we are under the false impression that we require much more space that what we actually need. This thesis seeks to prove that a
25

space could act as if it was much bigger if we find a new way of integrating technology into our built environment.
There is an opportunity to make our spaces and architectural elements
... multifunctional, in order to create a big space out of a small space with the integration of mechanics and electronics.
... responsive, in order to create a big experience out of a small space with the integration of electronics and software.
A new way of creating spaces - micro units, family housing, retail, hospitality, offices, etc. - will allow a more sustainable way for our cities to grow.
In the following chapter we will evaluate current transformable solutions and technology integration ideas and why they are not enough.
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1.3. ROADMAP TO THESIS
The subsequent chapters follow a logical order:
Chapter 2 reviews the prior art related to ways architecture and technology have envisioned the spaces of the future and helps understand why there is a need for new solutions.
Chapter 3 presents the basis for a new robotic genre called Architectural
Robotics. The core technology principles are explained, while using prototypes to show how this new approach was conceived.
Chapter 4 introduces ARkits, a robotic platform that gives a form factor to
Architectural Robotics in order to allow its deployment at scale.
Chapter 5 is a design exercise that highlights the potential of creating spaces using the methodology presented on this thesis.
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The idea of integrating transformation and technology into architectural spaces is not new at all. This chapter summarizes the prior art and explains why such strategies alone are not sufficient for effectively tackling the challenge of urban space.
This chapter is divided into the two existing approaches:
The design and architecture approach
The technology approach
Part of the problem of the prior art arises from this very same differentiation. The fact that we are looking at the spaces where we live and work from two different angles, and not holistically, creates visions that could not be further apart. At the moment, the "design-architecture home of the future" and the "technology home of the future" are two unconnected worlds.
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2.1. DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
Design and architecture have traditionally looked at how we can make the most of a space and increase its functionality.
Static furniture and efficiency layouts.
The simplest approach is to take conventional furniture and architectural elements and lay them out in the most efficient way possible, as in figure 4 and 5.
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Figure 4: "What's In" 350 sq.ft apartment shown as an example of this approach [15]
30

Figure 5: lkea's showroom as another example of the same approach (photo from inhabitat.com) [16]
Of course, there are limits to what you can do using static furniture. If you want all the possible functionalities to be present at any given time, then you need to minimize the footprint of each of them. In the case of a studio for example, your bedroom will have an area allocated to your living room, another area to your office and so on. Having all functionalities present at the same time creates unnecessary compromises, as those activities will rarely happen all at the same time.
Classic manual transformables.
The first significant experiment with transformable, multi-functional residential space was the Rietveld Schroder House of 1924 in Utrecht, where the upper floor could be open or subdivided through a system of sliding and revolving panels
31

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Since then, hundreds of examples of transformable spaces have been prototyped, but most are expensive, one-off proposals that do not scale to commercial real estate development.
Architect Gary Chang (Hong Kong) did a contemporary version of the ultimate reconfigurable apartment, creating a room that could be converted into 24 different configurations, as shown in figure 8.
32

igure
7: Gary Chang's apartment [18]
Gary Chang's 24 rooms in 1 (photo from studyblue.com) [18]
33

~-
Space-saving furniture such as Murphy beds and sofa beds have become popular for occasional use. At the high end, manually transforming furniture produced by the Italian company Clei Sr (marketed by Resource Furniture) have been popular in demonstration small apartments, as shown in figure below.
Figure 9: Life Edited Apartment in New York with Resource Furniture (photo courtesy of LifeEdited) [19]
Most of these small spaces require a manual reconfiguration multiple times during the day: beds must be folded down to sleep and tables must be extended to dine. Such operations are fine for occasional use, but are annoying and often unacceptable in daily use because of the time, effort, and cognitive load required to shift between activities.
Dak Kopec, director of design for human health at Boston Architectural College and author of Environmental Psychology for Design, highlights the following challenge for architectural elements requiring an easy - but not effortless - transformation ritual:
"For all of us, daily life is a sequence of events. But most people don't like adding extra steps to everyday tasks. Because microapartments are too small to hold basic furniture like a bed, table,
34

and couch at the same time, residents must reconfigure their quarters throughout the day: folding down a Murphy bed, or hanging up a dining table on the wall. What might seem novel at the beginning ends up including a lot of little inconveniences, just to go to sleep or make breakfast before work. In this case, residents might eventually stop folding up their furniture every day and the
space will start feeling even more constrained. " [20]
New manual transformables.
There is a new generation of manual transformables that tries to answer some of the challenges presented by their older counterparts. These are elements that use mechanics in a way that makes things move effortlessly. Two examples are:
Counterweighted beds:
Figure 10: Bedaway bed showcasing a counterweighted bed (photo courtesy of Bedaway) [21]
Library moving walls (which also come in an electric version):
35

Figure 11: Bruynzeel office solutions showcasing a moving wall system (photo courtesy of Bruynzeel) [22]
The challenges with this type of solutions are the following:
1) The price of leverage: in order to allow a person to have enough mechanical advantage to move a heavy object effortlessly in a manual fashion, complex mechanical transmission systems or counterweights need to be integrated.
2) Scalability: all of these mechanical solutions are designed with one application in mind. With these methods, every type of furniture typically requires a unique mechanical strategy. For example, the Bedaway system can not be easily adapted to move the library wall effortlessly. Also, systems like moving walls are not standalone, and need additional complex infrastructure such as tracks and raised floors.
3) Limitation on intelligence: all of these solutions make no allowance for functionality improvement. Even the electric versions of the moving walls are closed systems. Although Artificial Intelligence for robotics is constantly evolving (see trend around autonomous cars), existing systems for architecture cannot integrate new sensing & algorithms that could allow for autonomous reconfiguration or advanced control. They can move, but
36

they will remain deaf & mute: they will not be able to tell the rest of the apartment and smart devices that they have moved, and when Al is more developed, they will not have the ability to learn and adapt.
One-off mechatronic systems.
Engineers and architects are also experimenting with mechatronic solutions combining mechanical solutions and some simple electronic interfaces such as wall buttons.
Figure 12: YoHome apartment, UK, showcasing a mechatronic bed (photo courtesy of YoHome) [23]
These solutions have the same exact problem as some of the previously shown architectural one-off installations. They work well for a concept prototype, but they are not scalable. From an installation perspective, the mechanisms have very specific construction and integration constraints that limit these solutions to only new built environments - or force very extensive renovations. It is unlikely that these solutions would ever be cost effective as they are heavily based on complex heavy-duty mechanical strategies (Moore's law does not apply). The cost of these strategies makes these solutions only affordable for the very people who don't need to downsize.
37

Figure 13: Liftbed commercial bed installed with heavy-duty mechanical columns (photo courtesy of LiftBed)
[24]
38

2.2. TECHNOLOGY AND THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
Smart homes.
The Home of the Future has historically been a recurring trend for technology enthusiasts. One of the classic home of the future concepts dates back to 1957,
The Monsanto House of the Future. The house was a showcase of innovations involving new materials, appliances, moving cabinetry, etc. Since then, technology companies have struggled to propose truly life changing integral applications, as they have been handcuffed by the need to use their concept homes as a showcase for their existing products.
Figure 14: Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland [25]
All big technology corporations have used their Homes of the Future to show concepts for smart TV's, digital photo frames, projections, sensing technologies, mobile phone control, etc., based on their product lines, but have consistently ignored the bigger context and the way architecture and space design plays a
39

role in how we create our spaces. As a result, the corporate concept homes have lacked compelling value propositions that combine technology with the physical nature of spaces and architectural elements.
Figure 15: Microsoft Home of the Future [26]
Smart home hubs.
Home automation has also been a trend for quite some time. The idea of connecting devices and automating processes has attracted many players to this market, but there are two main reasons why these ideas never really took off and became mainstream:
Lack of meaningful applications: most applications have been as simple as putting a control screen on your mobile phone. This may be an interesting added functionality, but not a life changing feature, as many people will argue that it is easier and more convenient to toggle a switch on the wall rather than finding your mobile phone in order to switch on the lights.
The war over protocols: the huge variety of communication protocols -
Zwave, Zigbee, Insteon, Wifi, Bluetooth... - and the inability of industry to adopt one unifying protocol has been one of the biggest challenges, especially when the proposition of value is based on the interconnectivity
40

of devices. (See Shaun Salzberg's work, Changing Places group on
HomeMaestro for a more in depth analysis of all the problems with home automation [27]).
In response to the lack of standard protocols, companies are now focusing on a
"middle man" approach. This involves the creation of devices that act as translators between smart devices, with the ability to understand and translate multiple communication protocols. It is analogous to a router that acts as an intermediary between the smart device and the cloud. These "smart hubs" have been developed by: Revolv, Wink, SmartThings. A number of large tech companies are shifting towards this approach as highlighted by Samsung's acquisition of SmartThings for 200 million dollars in 2014 [28].
Figure 16: SmartThings smart hub and app [29]
The Internet of lights, thermostats and alarms.
Countless articles and corporate press releases focus on the Internet of Things.
Goldman& Sachs describes the Internet of Things as the next mega trend [30]:
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.
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"The Internet of Things, or loT, is emerging as the next technology mega-trend, with repercussions across the business spectrum. By connecting to the Internet billions of everyday devices - ranging from fitness bracelets to industrial equipment - the loT merges the physical and online worlds, opening up a host of new opportunities and challenges for companies, governments and consumers."
The same report emphasizes the connected home as a mix of smart thermostats, lighting, appliances, HVAC, security, entertainment... This is another indication of how disconnected the world of design and technology is. We are leaving out of the Internet of Things the things that are arguably more important for a space: desks, walls, closets, beds, etc. There is a need to expand the concept of the
Internet of Things.
0
AO
Figure 17: Phillips Hue [31] and Nest Thermostat as examples of smart products [32]
The Internet of "Things that create environments where people live&work".
The Home of the Future should be more than simply adding a layer of technology on top of traditional space design: it demands holistic thinking about a combination of functionality, experience, design and technology.
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Rather than simply referring to conventional space solutions so that they are more efficient, it is time to incorporate architectural elements and furniture that dramatically improve the functionality. But, how do you convert static and unresponsive objects into something transformable and intelligent? Robotics is the answer. Unfortunately, robotics is a discipline of engineering that has been traditionally out of reach for architects and space designers.
What if a new robotic genre was invented to provide the necessary tools for a new generation of spaces? This is Architectural Robotics.
Chapter 3 will describe the key aspects of this new robotic genre and chapter 4 will dive into the creation of the tools that allow its deployment at scale.
Background: Chassis VS Smart Infill
Architectural Robotics is created in the context of a new general framework for creating architectural spaces around us. Back in 2011, MIT Media Lab's
Changing Places Group (Kent Larson et al.) [33] proposed a conceptual vision for a model consisting of a standardized building "chassis" and personalized, technology-enabled, transformable "infill." The idea was to integrate new materials, systems, and technologies, to create urban dwellings that function as if they were much larger, minimize resource consumption, and create rich living experiences for their occupants. This model could be applied to urban spaces such as homes, offices, retail, hotels, etc. The two basic components still apply:
* Chassis. The chassis provides efficiently built, open-loft living spaces that contain all of the fixed, long-life elements of the building with carefully
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located interface connections for power, data, plumbing, HVAC, and data.
The construction methodology may vary, depending on local codes and accepted design and construction processes. A building chassis may be constructed from concrete, structural steel, prefabricated volumetric modules, wood frame, or heavy timber. Stacked shipping containers may be used for re-deployable temporary housing.
Infill. The infill consists of highly personalized, technology-enabled elements that can be rapidly configured and installed in a matter of hours at the point of sale or lease. Infill elements connect to the chassis according to simple interface, much the same way a USB device universally connects to a personal computer.
Figure 18: Standard Chassis and Smart Infill (Changing Places Group)
Based on this vision, we try to answer the next fundamental question: what could that infill consist of?
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Architectural elements with superpowers.
It is time to embrace a new way to design our spaces, that incorporate furniture and architectural elements with superpowers.
What if your furniture could robotically transform?
What if it could be customized to adapt to different users and spaces?
What if it was a smart node that communicates with the rest of your space?
What if these new responsive physical environments were programmable?
This chapter is the genesis of Architectural Robotics, a story of the "superpowers" that give shape to this new robotic genre, explained as developed through prototypes.
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3.1. ROBOTIC TRANSFORMATION
"The power to move or be moved as if weightless"
As discussed in the prior art section, spatial transformations that are merely
''easy" are not sufficient: they must be effortless and seemingly magical to be used daily. Walls, beds, desks, screens... translate, navigate, deploy with the aid of motors.
Robotic transformation allows three kinds of space reconfigurations:
Fully autonomous: Artificial Intelligence allows for automatic reconfiguration of the space based on, but not limited to, factors such as preferences, user's activity, environmental conditions, and so on.
User indirect control: mobile apps, voice, gesture and other user interfaces are explored to control the furniture (as shown in subchapter 3.5).
User direct control: an interim step between manual and automatic.
Natural interfaces such as pressure sensitive areas have been explored in order to convert directional pressure user input into directional furniture movement output. The users are able to move heavy objects the same way they open doors or windows. We see the most short term potential on this strategy, as not only keeps a close natural connection between the user and the movement, but also puts the responsibility/liability on the end user, simplifying the need for complex safety features.
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1 ist generation Robowall - H. Larrea, K. Larson, 2012
The Robowall was the first Architectural Robot developed by the Changing
Places Group and it served as the Master's Thesis in Mechanical Engineering
(University Navarra, 2012) for the author of this thesis. The robowall was a wall chassis that:
could translate around an apartment
had an open interior architecture to adapt its functionality (see subchapter
3.2.)
had sensing integrated in order to prevent collisions
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2 nd generation Robowall - C. Olabarri, H. Larrea, K. Larson, 2013
The second generation of the robowall explored a much more modular mechatronic architecture, and started hinting at the idea that the same mechanical elements could power apparently very different elements like a bed or a sofa. This concept serves as the inspiration for the Robocouch in chapter 4.
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A pressure interface - Larrea, Larson, Lark, Liu. Zbode Systems, 2013
What would be more natural than having users push or pull heavy objects the same way they open doors?
The basic idea is to use a drive by wire approach to give the same feeling of the mechanical advantage provided by systems such as hinges or counterbalances.
A force sensitive resistor reads the pressure, and that force is converted by a microcontroller into an electrical signal that operates the motors. The result: the more force you put into the direction of the element, the faster the element will move in that same direction. With no force applied, no movement will happen.
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Figure 21: force sensitive resistor based pressure interface (Zbode Systems) integrated in Robowall
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3.2. CUSTOMIZATION
"The power to have different form and function"
There is "no one size fits all" in how we want to experience our spaces, so architectural elements need a way to adapt to different functional requirements.
The robotic components not only need to give extraordinary capabilities to furniture, but also need to allow the expression of different designs to be adapted to different users and spaces.
The same way a person can dress different clothes, robotic components provide a physical platform for customization, a skeleton that can be completed with endless different possibilities.
Previous prototypes show the evolution of the customization approach:
Home genome project - D. Smithwick, J. Suominen, Kent Larson, 2010
The Home Genome Project presented an approach based on understanding the profiles of the users and the geometric constraints of the space.
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Figure 22: Home Genome Project showing a user profile translated into a spatial configuration (Dan
Smithwick - left, Kent Larson -right)[34]
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A recommendation engine would use different static building blocks to create an apartment layout based on the user's preferences.
14
Figure 23: Home Genome Project building blocks showing configuration possibilities (rendering by Carla
Farina) [34]
Dynamic building blocks - H. Larrea, K. Larson, W. Lark, LY. Liu, 2013
Instead of marrying to one specific configuration, dynamic building blocks allow many different configurations within the same space.
Building blocks can have different functions, sizes and materials. Three examples of variations tested out:
A moving closet based on a commercial modular system
A custom made drop down bed
A custom made drop down table
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Figure 24: Dynamic function blocks as prototyped with a closet, bed and table (photos courtesy of Zbode
Systems)
Mechatronics skeleton and personalized design on top.
The conclusion is that if architectural elements can provide different configurations, the customization process shifts from choosing from a set of static building blocks to choosing the preferred transformations that will bring the most benefit to each user and space. Then the user chooses the content - function, materials, etc. - of each dynamic building block to adapt to his/her needs.
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Let's use a version of the robowall as an example. The static building blocks are part of a personalized design on top of a mechatronic plinth:
A
Figure 25: Furniture personalization approach where a user profile is translated into a furniture design
(Profile images by D. Smithwick, furniture study by P. Ewing)
53

3.3. SMART HUB
"The power to communicate"
Architectural elements are part of the Internet of Things, they are connected to the Internet. This means they can talk and listen, send and receive information.
But architectural elements have the potential of not just being another node in the connected devices scheme, but acting as a hub - understanding a hub as an element that allows other devices or peripherals to get connected to the Internet as well.
The approach is based on the fact that the electronic intelligence used to control motors for robotic transformation can also be used to:
* connect the transformable element itself to the Internet
connect any other device mounted on the furniture to the Internet. These may be input devices such as sensors, cameras, etc., or output devices such as lighting, secondary motors, etc.
The vision of the furniture as a connected node is the natural evolution of the research by the Changing Places Group at the MIT Media Lab.
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Place Lab - J. Nawyn, K. Larson, S. Intille, 2004-2008
Current Changing Places research builds on years of research that took place at the MIT PlaceLab, operated from 2004 to 2008. The PlaceLab was developed as an apartment-scale shared research facility where new technologies and design concepts could be tested and evaluated in the context of everyday living. It is recognized as one of the very first instrumented "living laboratories," and is considered one of the most highly instrumented living environments ever built.
The 1000-square-foot space integrated hundreds of sensors, allowing researchers to study nearly every aspect of life in the home. PlaceLab experiments included a focus on proactive health, user interface, indoor air quality, energy conservation, diet, disease management, and accident prevention.
Figure 26: PlaceLab instrumented apartment (photo by Kent Larson)
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air quality sensors
IR illuminators hinged panels to sensor bus cabinet door switches countertop activity cameras refrigerator use sensors microwave use sensors oven & range use sensors cabinet drawer sensors hot water use sensorcold water use sensorhinged panels to sensor bus cabinet door switches sensor network connectionsintemet connections temperature sensors wer integrated into cabinetry inged panels to subwoofers
Figure 27: PlaceLab's custom cabinetry integrating sensors (photo by Kent Larson)
The place lab was a one-off instrumented space and that limited its scalability.
I
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Box Lab - J. Nawyn, K. Larson, S. Intille, 2008
In order to make the sensing infrastructure more scalable and easier to deploy in existing and new built environments, in 2008, the Changing Places group introduced BoxLab, a portable, modular sensing platform offering most of the capabilities provided by the PlaceLab, but miniaturized to fit in a wooden box the size of a small end table. As a remotely deployable plug-and-play version of the
PlaceLab, BoxLab enabled researchers to install a rich sensing network into any residence or workplace with willing participants. The BoxLab, with a variety of physical housings, included infrared occupancy sensors, wide angle color video cameras, microphones for audio capture, interfaces for mobile phone charging and synching, receivers for wireless RFID and accelerometer object sensors, temperature and humidity sensing, indoor positioning via RF tagging, speakers for audio output, a CPU for real-time data processing, and disks for data storage.
* Infrared occupancy sensors
*Wide-angle color video camera
*Amplified microphones
Docking for mobile devices
-Control for sensor applications
-SenseCam for 1st person views
*Wireless object sensor receiver
*RFID receiver
Wireless data network
GPRS remote monitoring
* Temperature/humidity sensors
' Audio output (speakers)
Internal data storage
CPU for data processing
Figure 28: BoxLab implementation in a conventional home (photo & design by J. Nawyn) [35]
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One of the original motivations behind the BoxLab was to solve the problem of requiring study participants to move into an unfamiliar environment, but more connected to this thesis' topic, the BoxLab provided a form factor that aimed at the idea that physical objects in the space could be smart hubs that gather information and communicate with the rest of the space.
61
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Figure 29: BoxLab kiosks deployed in a conventional home. Numbers show locations. (photo & design by J.
Nawyn) [35]
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Furniture Lab - H. Larrea, C. Rubio, J. Nawyn, K. Larson, 2015
With the miniaturization of electronics and microprocessors, the next step on this evolution is that the spatial elements around us have the ability to integrate inputoutput devices at will. It is a very logical step, as the input and output devices and sensors have to be mounted somewhere, and, most of the time, they end up being mounted in the physical elements that make our environment. So, what if we could take advantage of the intelligence on these architectural elements and use it to not only power, but also give communication capabilities to all those systems?
The BoxLab is not a box anymore, it could be a bed, a table, a closet, a dividing wall, etc. Sensors, lights, cameras, become peripherals of our spatial elements. It is the Furniture Lab.
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Figure 30: From the BoxLab to the FurnitureLab; how the intelligence could move from "boxes" to furniture
(Image courtesy of Changing Places)
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3.4. PROGRAMMABILITY
"The power to think"
The moment smart devices and physical objects are connected to the Internet, the moment the possibility for programming your environment is unleashed.
Programming is the natural evolution of home automation. As Mckinsey's report on the Internet of Things states [36] the first phases of home automation are providing the user simple ways of monitoring and controlling the environment.
After that we can start thinking about more complex environments that track our behavior and react to it, enhance your situation awareness, new interfaces, big data analytics driven by sensor data, and a long etc.
Your home, your office, your hotel, will eventually turn into an app ecosystem.
The same way smart phones allow new functionalities to be generated every day and create a platform for customizing user experience, homes will also be a platform for user experience customization. The home of the future will be an open-ended system; the home of the future will be a platform.
Figure 31: Smart phone app ecosysystem symbolic visualization (Image from desk.com) [37]
Your space is an appstore, a programming environment in the physical world.
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Application example: home interface mock up - H. Larrea, J. Bonsen, 2014
A quick prototype was built in order to unlock the potential of a programming environment through an example of an app for the home. We focused on the idea that all current home automation based systems are still in the first phases of home automation, as explained in Mckinsey's report [36]. Controlling and monitoring your smart devices through a mobile phone interface has become the standard of home automation. But, if there is a programming environment for our home, any interface is possible.
The mock up in Figure 32 expressed the idea that you could point at things and control their behavior. Point at a light and change the color and intensity, point at a wall or a blind system and move it, etc. A LeapMotion camera [38] was used to track the fingers and servos & led's to control the apartment.
This is just an example of playing with the smart devices in your home (cameras, sensors, led, lights, etc.) in order to create apps that may add different functionalities to the home.
lure 32: Home small scale mock up where gestures where first explored (photo by H. Larrea)
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3.5. CASE STUDY: CITYHOME 200 SQ. FT. PROTOTYPE
The CityHome was a 200 sq. ft. concept apartment built at the MIT Media Lab in
April 2014. The lead team was composed of Kent Larson (Principal Investigator,
Changing Places Group), Hasier Larrea (MAS '15, Changing Places group);
Daniel Goodman (MAS '15, Changing Places group); Oier Ariho (visiting student,
Changing Places group); Phillip Ewing (SMArchS '15, Design and Computation group). In addition, the following undergraduate students contributed as urops that Spring 2014 semester: Carlos Rubio, Matthew Daiter, Kelly McGee,
Hyunjoon Song, Hannah Ahlblad, Kabir Abiose, States Lee.
The CityHome's main purpose was to test out our theory that:
"Robotics can make space act like if it was two or three times bigger"
So we decided to face the challenge of the priced out young professionals being either kicked out of the city centers or pushed to live in tiny conventional micro units. We chose 200 sq ft as a worst case scenario, as it is far below the standard for micro units nowadays (around 300 sq. ft.). The question was: can we make 200 sqft not only livable, but also desirable?
We integrated the four "superpowers" (sections 3.1 through 3.4) in a prototype in order to dramatically increase the functionality and the experience of the space.
Space functionality and experience.
200 sq. ft. may seem very small, but the perception changes if you have 200 sq.
ft. of a bedroom, 200 sq. ft. of a dining room, 200 sq. ft. of an office or 200 sq. ft.
of a living room. The challenge was to incorporate the following into a 200 sq. ft.
apartment: queen size bed, 6 feet of a work desk, dining for 6 people, living space for 8 people, handicapped accessible bathroom, 6 linear feet of closet space and a fully functional kitchen
62

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The center volume is the main furniture piece of the space and it is a good example of furniture with superpowers.
It robotically transforms providing various functionalities with a compact form factor.
Figure 38: Disentangled robotic furniture piece shown in the 200 sq. ft. layout (rendering by P. Ewing)
It is customizable to adapt to different users or spaces. It is also disentangled from the building, so that it allows an easier implementation in retrofit scenarios.
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Figure 39: Customization options of the 200 sq. ft. CityHome furniture element (rendering by P. Ewing)
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Different connected smart devices around the home showcased the smart hub capabilities and the programmability of the system. Different interfaces were used to connect the different devices in the home - lights, blinds, projectors, etc.
Figure 41: Pressure sensors to control transformation integrated into furniture (photo by MIT
Media Lab)
Figure 40: Gestural interface to control transformation and other peripherals such as lights, blind and sound (photo by MIT Media Lab)
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Figure 42: Everywhere interface created by a pan/tilt projector on the ceiling that projects dynamic interfaces on demand (photo by MIT Media Lab)
An IP disclosure by the inventors - including the author of this thesis - summarizes the capabilities of this prototype:
"The shape shifter is a standalone, disentangled all-in-one piece of furniture that:
Electromechanically translates through the home separating spaces on demand
Electromechanically deploys different furniture pieces from its interior like a bed or a table.
Provides a modular architecture framework to customize its design and functionality.
Includes a central computer hub that provides a hardware-software platform to embed technologies on it that customize personal space experience, including but not limited to:
I) pressure pads that augment your force by mapping the pressure to the furniture's translation
II) skeleton tracking based gestural control of home active elements, including the transformation of its own furniture shape
Ill) robotic projector pan/tilt head that projects interactive interfaces on demand in all directions
IV) voice command control and apartment personal settings saving/loading
V) open source platform that allows the user add hardware to the invention and program new software applications for the space"
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Architectural Robotics presents a new paradigm for designing architectural spaces, a paradigm based on creating dynamic and responsive architectural elements.
But presenting a new grand vision is not enough. In order to make true impact and tackle the challenge of space, we need to think about strategies for deploying Architectural Robotics at scale. ARkits present a new methodology, a new form factor to unlock the potential of transformable and responsive spaces.
4.1. A ROBOTIC TOOLKIT TO DEPLOY AT SCALE
The design of space should not be the privilege of a very few, so when thinking about creating the tools to allow the design of the spaces of the future, the approach should be to create a platform for co-creation.
Inspiration.
ARkits is inspired by the idea of letting people forget about the low level complexities of technology and focus on the application side of things.
Sofware has traditionally been a discipline in which code libraries and API's have been used as building blocks to allow programmers to create new applications without needing to understand the details of lower level programming. But hardware also offers interesting examples of innovations driven by platforms for co-creation:
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LEGO Mindstorms is the biggest inspiration behind this thesis. Based on research at the MIT Media Lab by Seymour Papert and his team, "the Lego
Mindstorms is a series of kits that contain software and hardware to create customizable, programmable robots. They include an intelligent brick computer that controls the system, a set of modular sensors and motors, and Lego parts to create the mechanical systems" [39].
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Figure 43: Lego Mindstorms catalog as shown in their website [391
LittleBits [40], by Ayah Bdeir, is a more contemporary version of a kit of parts for
DIY electronics that also came out of the MIT Media Lab. It is an open source library of modular electronics, which snap together with small magnets for prototyping and learning [41].
The mission of LittleBits resembles the strategy ARkits proposes for physical architectural spaces: "put the power of electronics in the hands of everyone, and break down complex technologies so that anyone can build, prototype, and invent".
72

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73

A platform for designing the spaces of the future.
ARkits present a framework for a new robotic genre, a hardware-software platform and modular system to create a scalable strategy for a new generation of spaces that are efficient, experiential and fun. It is a kit of parts that compartmentalizes the complexity of robotics - mechanics, electronics and software - in order to empower architects, designers and "space makers" in general to create endless product possibilities based on the Architectural
Robotics core principles.
It is the "Intel Inside" [43] of a new generation of architecture elements.
Figure 45: From Lego Robots to Architectural Robots - pictures of prototypes built during 2011-2014 (photos courtesy of MIT Media Lab and Zbode Systems)
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4.2. THEORY: SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
The basic conceptual system architecture of ARkits is as follows:
Locomotive system: a series of mechanical elements that allow different types of transformations.
Brain: an electronic brain that allows to control transformation and serve as a node for adding a Nervous System in the form of external input or output peripherals such as sensors, lighting, etc. This includes a software API that opens the possibility of programming new functionalities and applications combining space transformation and the Internet of Things.
ARkits blocks are grouped into these three categories.
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Figure 46: ARkits blocks, inspired by the Lego Mindstorms system architecture, showing the different functionality layers
A more detailed system architecture is shown in the following page.
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Figure 48: ARkits detailed system architecture as a base for creating the different blocks. Different colors show how components group in the different functionality layers
The ARkits blocks are created as a combination of the hardware and software components shown in the detailed system architecture schematic:
Architectural elements are the physical elements of the environment.
Motors + mechanics + connectors are the different transformation elements that are combined to create the locomotive system blocks.
Power + intelligence are the electronics that are combined to create the different variations of the brain block.
Control inputs and input/output peripherals are the nervous system blocks.
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Locomotive System blocks.
Different transformations demand different actuators. Three basic transformations have been identified as the first three mechanical blocks: ceiling wall translation floor navigation d wall floor
Figure 49: Basic mechanical blocks providing the different movement possibilities
* Translation: an element translates horizontally or vertically attached to a solid surface - wall, floor, ceiling.
* Floor navigation: an elements rolls along the floor
Ceiling deployment: an element is moved up/down hung from the ceiling.
This is like a vertical translation, but when there are no solid walls to attach to in the direction of the movement.
Examples are shown to help understand the scope of each transformation.
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Example #1: a home made of translations, with translation blocks highlighted in blue. Bed, closets, cabinetry, tables, facade modules, etc.
Figure 50: a 1 bedroom "home made of translations" showing the different positions of closets, bed, cabinets, tables... (photo courtesy of H. Larrea and Zbode Systems)
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Example #2: the mechanical modules used in the
2 nd generation of the robowall could be considered a first generation of the navigation block. The very same blocks that powered the robowall (pictures below) where then used to retrofit an existing couch and make it drivable.
Figure 51: Drive modules on the 2nd robowall (see chapter 3.1. of this thesis)
Figure 52: Robocouch being powered by the drive modules shown above
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Example #3: there are two variations of ceiling deployed systems.
Lightweight systems like blinds, space dividers, flexible screens, can be deployed without the need of counterbalancing. The deployed system itself is rolled.
Heavier solid elements like tables are lifted or dropped using cables, cloth, etc. In this case, spring counterbalances need to be integrated in the system in order to allow motors to have enough mechanical advantage.
The following prior concepts could be considered first generations of the deployment mechanical block.
I r
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Figure 53: Sketch of the ceiling deployment mechanical system concept
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Figure 54: Prior drop down table prototype being deployed from the ceiling using an electronic interface inspired by a manual string interface (photo courtesy of Zbode Systems) [44]
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Nervous systems blocks.
Before the brain-intelligence block is discussed, it is important to highlight that the smart hub capabilities of Architectural Robotics allow the integration of input and output peripherals.
The moment you have computing power in a moving element, you can use the same computing power to manage the information provided or requested by peripherals such as lights, sensors, sound, additional actuators, etc. For example, a drop down bed could not only reconfigure the space by moving up/down, but give power and communication capabilities to integrated accelerometers in your mattress that track sleeping habits, mood lighting for when the bed is up in the ceiling, or even additional actuators to allow the deployment of support legs when the bed is down.
Existing third party input/output peripherals could be used as blocks for ARkits.
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Figure 55: Grove i/o blocks as an example of input/output peripheral blocks as shown on their website [45]
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Brain block.
The brain block controls motion and powers and gives communication capabilities to all the electronics on the element.
In order to perform these functions, it needs the following components:
Microcontroller:
It can send control signals to motor drivers that control ARkits mechanical blocks or existing commercial actuators.
It deals with the input pins necessary for a closed loop control of the movement. Encoders, direct control interfaces, odometry, etc. We consider these peripherals Level 1 peripherals. These pins are managed locally as their mission is critical.
It sends and receives signals from additional input and output pins that control peripherals. We consider these peripherals Level 2 peripherals.
These pins are not managed locally, as their mission is not critical - latency or communication failures are acceptable.
It communicates wirelessly to a central computer or the cloud.
Communication is bidirectional.
Two channel motor driver:
It translates the control commands from the microcontroller into electric pulses for the motor. An H bridge configuration is used.
A two channel driver is used in order to be able to control two motors independently at a time, if needed.
Control loop pins:
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This is where the critical sensors are attached in order to close the control loop of the transformation
Open pins:
Pins are left unused in order to allow the creative use of those ports.
Existing or custom made sensors, additional microcontrollers or output devices can be controlled through those pins. For example, an LED lighting module would have its own high power electronic driver that would receive commands from the microcontroller open pins. The wireless communication capabilities would be provided by the ARkits microcontroller.
Power management:
Proper DC conditions are generated for microcontrollers, batteries and other electronics.
Figure 56: Brain block architecture schematic
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The computing workflow can be summarized as follows:
The microcontroller runs a tight motor control loop by receiving signals from Level 1 peripherals and sending the proper commands to the motor drivers.
The microcontroller communicates the status of all its pins to a central master computer or the cloud directly. It can also receive commands from the master and control its outputs. Level 1 peripherals always have priority over Level 2 peripherals. Wifi can be used to minimize the need for intermediaries - it can communicate directly to a central computer or the cloud through existing Wifi routers. In the future, security will also need to be considered in order to make a final decision on the communication protocol.
The master computer - or cloud - controls the high level behavior of the system as programmed by apps.
In order to allow the creation of an app ecosystem, an API - Application
Programming Interface - needs to be created in order to deal with the low level software complexities of the communication between devices. This will be discussed in subchapter 4.3.
The ARkits main brain block is a microcontroller based computing device. There may be some applications in which a microcomputer based device would be recommended. For instance, a microcomputer based brain block would be more appropriate for gathering high definition video data and sending it to the master computer. This way the microcomputer could handle some initial image processing and could also store some of the relevant information locally. In this case, a microcontroller based architecture has been chosen as the first brain block, on account of its more efficient way of handling tight control loops.
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4.3. PRACTICE: TRANSLATION
A number of ARkits components have been prototyped by the Architectural
Robotics research team in order to test the potential of the kit of parts methodology:
Translation mechanical block
First generation of the brain block
Software API
Note: third party input/output peripherals have been used to showcase the nervous system.
Translation block.
Translation was chosen as the first mechanical solution to develop for two reasons:
Prior art lacks the capabilities needed to truly improve the functionality of the space.
e
Translation has the biggest impact in micro home scenarios, which have been described in this thesis as one of the most challenging problems nowadays.
In order to inform the mechanical design of the translation block, a more thorough analysis of the mechanical limitations of the prior art is described next- building on top of general explanations of chapter 2. This helps understand the reason there is a need for a universal linear actuator
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These are current electric transformation solutions for translating furniture vertically & horizontally - one axis linear motion-, with their limitations described below:
Electric drop down tables or beds. In order to help motors lift the weight, they counterbalance with either springs or weights.
* Electric sit/stand desk, lifting beds, lifting columns, tv lifts, cabinet lifts, etc.
They integrate classic linear actuators which generally use a lead screw mechanism, so they don't need counterbalance. But they have limited distance range and speed.
* Garage doors (chain drive, belt drive or screw drive). They cover long linear distances (up to 8 feet) and at a significant speed, but they need counterbalance in order to lift the weight. Even the screw drive garage opener (with a similar system architecture to our invention), is not appropriate for the translating of furniture without counterbalancing, as it lacks self locking capabilities and its carriage system motion is friction based.
Wheelchair lifts. Some of the newest models do use lead screws and provide long travel distances. An extremely long lead screw limits considerably the speeds of this system, which is usually under 9 feet/min.
With the longer travel distances (more than 7 feet), moving mid supports are used to provide stability to the lead screw.
e
Rolling walls or furniture pieces. The drive motors are integrated in the wall, similar to a vehicle, so either batteries or power management systems need to be integrated in order to move the element.
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As described in provisional patent 17608T (H. Larrea, L. Alonso, K. Larson,
2014), the invention - translation robot - provides a compact electromechanical solution that combines existing mechanical components in such a way that it can translate furniture & architectural elements horizontally or vertically:
1. without counterbalance required
2. with long travel distances (over 5 feet)
3. high speeds (more than 3"/second)
4. without electric power required on the moving element
See appendix 1 for more detail on the mechanical design of the system.
Different versions of the invention were developed between January and April
2015.
Figure 57: Translation robot version 1 as built in January 2015
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Figure 58: Translation robot version 3 as built in March 2015
Chapter 5 describes the final implementation of the translation robot.
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Brain block.
The first generation brain block was developed with a vector PCB. A Spark Core microcontroller [46] was used because of its wifi capabilities. The layout of this first conceptual PCB was created to allow the integration of inputs and outputs in a modular way.
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Figure 59: 1st generation brain block as built in March 2015 (photo by C. Bean)
To the left of this image is the Vin terminal block and analog ports (A, +5V, GND), under the Spark Core is an 12C bus, and to the right are digital ports (D, +5V,
GND). At this early stage the board was designed to interface with other boards via 3 and 4 pin servo cables. The Tx and Rx could be pin compatible with the commercial motor driver.
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API.
The previously shown hardware schematic translates to the core components of the API. While a central computer - or even the cloud - manages the more computing intensive behaviors, the microcontroller - brain block - controls critical motor behavior and communicates with the master via wifi.
[- Contr 0
TCP/UDP over
WiFi
(local or internet)
Data management/-p resource management
Software (written in Python,
C++, Javascript with ROS)
Firmware (Written in C) lements
Figure 60: Computing master - on the left - and brain block - on the right (diagram by C. Rubio)
The API structure is based on a ROS - Robot Operating System [47] - architecture, which creates an entity called the master to coordinate all the messages between nodes. Nodes are the different functionalities of the system packaged in software blocks, as shown in the following schematic:
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I
Coe Data
Management Outside ServicesIAPIs : Navi gation/Vision
Figure 61: API system architecture divided in functionality blocks (diagram by C. Rubio)
Note: see Carlos Rubio's Master Thesis (M. Eng, 2015), 'An API for Smart
Objects and Multimodal User Interfaces for the Smart Home and Office", for more detail about the development of the API.
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As discussed in chapter 3, it is time to embrace a new way to design our spaces, where we do not accept the "disabilities" of our architectural elements, but we think about what they could do if they had superpowers. Deploying a hardwaresoftware platform that compartmentalizes the complexities of robotics will allow architects and designers to create the architectural spaces of the future in a completely new way.
This chapter presents a rapid succession of preliminary studies, sketches and prototypes with the spirit of stimulating and giving examples of new opportunities for urban spaces created by ARkits.
Figure 62: CityHome and CityOffice versions (renderings by K. Larson and CityScience 2014 workshop team)
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5.1. HOMES
The main case study for ARkits has been the home. Different concepts and prototypes have been developed.
Concepts.
All sizes of apartments can take advantage of the benefits of transformation.
Based on different form factors of apartment empty chassis, different conceptual proposals were created.
Figure 63: 300, 450, 590 and 670 sq. ft empty chassis
The robowalls, drop down beds and drop down tables used in the following sketches, all integrate the translation mechanical block.
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Figure 64: 300 sq.ft. concept featuring a dropdown bed and table
Figure 65: 450 sq. ft. concept featuring a drop down table, bed and robowall
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Figure 66: 670 sq. ft. concept featuring two drop down beds, a drop down table and two robowalls
Figure 67: Rendering of the 670 sq. ft. apartment's living room with a specific material choice (rendering by
K. Larson, Zbode Systems)
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Prototype.
A 300 sq. ft. room at the Media Lab was retrofitted with ARkits. The initial plans:
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Figure 68: 300 sq. ft. CityHome featuring dropdown bed, table and moving closet (plans by L. Alonso)
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The dropdown bed prototype installed in the space, including the pressure interface and peripherals such as lights synced with the movement:
Figure 69: User moving the bed up with the touch interface. Two translation robots can be seen mounted to the wall
Note: the Hardware-Software team was composed of: H. Larrea, L. Alonso, C.
Rubio, I. Fernandez De Casadevante, C. Bean, E. Ponce, S. Boone.
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The translating closet prototype operated with the same pressure interface:
Figure 70: User moving the closet with the touch interface and creating a walk in closet
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As explained in subchapter 3.2. the same mechatronic components can be customized to different users and scenarios. The following renderings show a specific choice of materials for the space:
Figure 71: Renderings of possible aesthetic designs of the 300 sq. ft. apartment (renderings by P. Ewing)
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Additional studies with a slightly bigger apartment base of 400 sq. ft.:
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Figure 72: 400 sq. ft. CityHome showing the different possible space configurations (plans by P. Ewing)
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The brain block and the software API were also demonstrated in this prototype.
NodeRed [47] software was used to visualize the interactions between connected devices as made it possible by the ARkits software API. Different simple rules can be programmed and then uploaded to the space using this visual tool. Image below shows mechanical and electronic blocks connected with different causal relationships.
Figure 73: NodeRed interface showing the different nodes used for programming (photo by C. Rublo)
Note: this is just an over simplification of the potential behaviors that could be programmed with the ARkits API.
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5.2. OFFICE
Concept.
A transformable-intelligent co-working space was envisioned as a way to summarize all the ARkits components explained in this thesis. The design tried to answer the following challenges:
1. The challenge of conquered space: working stations should not be conquered spaces, work-stations should appear and disappear with the user's presence and be adapted for other applications.
2. The challenge of private vs public space: rooms should be created on demand in order to accommodate different kinds of activities.
These are the early versions of ARkits blocks that were incorporated:
Mechanical blocks that allow the three transformations discussed in chapter 4:
" A family of navigating robots featuring transformable desks, chairs and utility boxes for providing energy storage, office supplies, food, etc.
" A version of the translating robowall.
A screen system deployed from the ceiling that could create rooms on demand using new materials and sound cancellation technologies.
Brain and nervous systems blocks: a network of devices around the space
- projectors, lighting, sensors, etc. - that would communicate to promote well-being and productivity.
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Figure 74: CityOffice concept renderings showing different possible configurations (renderings by K.
Kitayama, J. Pace, R. Simlai) [47]
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Kitchen <---
....... .....................
Table/Work sur face
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[
Storage pods move along track for access
Gym/Excercise
Figure 75: Translation robowall integrating additional internal transformations (rendering by J. Pace, J.
Hamman) [47]
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Figure 76: Schematic of the family of navigation robots (renderings by J. Hamman) [47]
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Figure 77: Sketch of ceiling deployed room separators (renderings by J. Pace, J. Hamman) [47]
Prototype.
The prototype was built in December 2014, showcasing the main three transformations and the connectivity between devices.
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Figure 78: CityOffice prototype showcasing the different types of mechanical movements [47]
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Figure 79: CityOffice configurations as built in December 2014 [48]
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5.3. OTHERS
ARkits are not limited to rethinking living-working spaces, they can also be used to redesign urban architectural spaces in general: retail, hospitality, transport, etc.
For example, restaurants present similar challenges to the office discussed above and could use some of the same transformations to increase the functionality and the experience of the space. On a similar note, the same way autonomous navigating robots could be integrated into an office or a restaurant, they could be adapted to work in a hospital environment too, where they could not only monitor the patient with the proper integrated sensors, but also drive around the building while adjusting the patient's position as the situation demands.
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Figure 80: Hospital kubo showing the different transformation to adapt to different uses (renderings by L.
Alonso)
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Regarding home related scenarios, hotels rooms have a similar form factor compared to the micro units discussed in subchapter 5.1. Same components could be used to reconfigure the space.
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Figure 81: 300 sq.ft conventional (left) VS transformable hotel room (right) featuring drop down bed and table
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The very same strategy of a hotel room could be used for a cruise liner:
Figure 82: CruiseLiner ARkits study showing the different possible configurations (renderings by L. Alonso)
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The world is rapidly urbanizing. It is a societal imperative to find new ways of using our resources more efficiently. Space is one of those key resources, and there are many indicators that reveal the problems created by poor space utilization. In urban areas where entrepreneurship is thriving, from New York to
Shanghai, young professionals and the "creative class" are being priced out of the market and forced to commute long distances, live in cramped spaces, or relocate. Mayors worldwide are seeking solutions that allow their cities to provide high-quality, diverse, affordable housing in order to remain globally competitive, but real estate and architecture are falling behind providing alternatives to existing techniques and methodologies.
This thesis has presented a theoretical framework for a new robotic genre that seeks to dramatically extend the capabilities of what a space can do, allowing the creation of a new generation of hyper efficient and responsive architectural spaces. A new practical methodology called ARkits has also been introduced in order to allow the integration and deployment at scale of these new technology enabled solutions. This form factor differentiates from the prior art by providing both a platform for co-creation and a modular compartmentalized strategy that may enable scalable & cost effective spatial transformation.
Future work.
Building on the material presented in this thesis, future work may include:
A growing toolkit: different hardware and software blocks will need to be invented in order to adapt to the different needs created by the different types of spaces.
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Apps: creating an API for programming new functionalities in the physical world is just the beginning. Applications related to health, communication, media... must be developed in order to prove the true potential of a software platform.
Quantitative impact of Architectural Robotics: the potential effects of these robotic tools must be quantified and analyzed at a neighborhood or city scale.
Tools for co-creation: software tools need to be created in order to integrate the ARkits methodology into the Architecture or design CAD workflow. 3D component libraries could be combined with programming plug-ins that create a means to visualize the relationships between connected devices in virtual conceptual 3D spaces. These ideas could be then translated to the physical world utilizing ARkits components.
Call for action.
In a world in which Robotics allow us to think about the possibilities of the space around us rather than its limitations, a wise reader will probably already have a few answers to this question:
"What will you build?"
Hasier Larrea
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https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/slide-id/deck/846283
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118

Provisional Patent 17608T: universal linear actuator for furniture and architectural elements
Inventors: Hasier Larrea, Luis Alonso, Kent Larson (2014)
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a compact electric actuator system translates furniture or architectural elements (such as beds, closets, tables, dividing walls, etc.) horizontally or vertically or along any other linear axis.
In exemplary implementations of this invention, a compact electromechanical apparatus translates furniture & architectural elements in one axis linear motion:
* without counterbalance required for lifting or holding weight
* without brakes required for holding weight
with long travel distances (over 5 feet)
high speeds (more than 3"/second)
without electric power required on the moving element
In exemplary implementations, this invention comprises:
A self locking lead screw mechanism
A direct drive DC motor (12 volt-1 40 volt)
A rolling carriage system with the lead screw driving nut integrated
Structural profile to mount the lead screw and guide the carriage system through long distances (e.g., more than 5 feet)
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* A set of structural elements that are attachable to the carriage system and that, when attached, allow the same actuator to drive different furniture & architectural elements.
Self-locking lead screw mechanism
In this context, self-locking means that the coefficient of friction is greater than the tangent of the lead angle. With a self-locking lead screw, the system will not be back driven under any weight.
This small lead angle also provides a mechanical advantage, which allows conventional motors to lift heavier weights than with other mechanical systems such as winches, belt drives, chain drives, etc.
Direct drive DC motor
The DC motor is directly coupled to the lead screw, in order to minimize the power losses added by extra mechanical parts.
The lead screw strategy also allows use of a simple DC motor with no need for a gear head. Compared to other conventional lifting alternatives (winches, belts, pulleys, etc.), the lead screw is drivable by higher speed/lower torque electric actuation. As a result, there is no need for the expensive speed reduction mechanical parts found in many conventional alternatives.
In exemplary implementations of this invention, the DC motor is rated anywhere between 12 volts and 140 volts. The specific performance curves of the motor will determine how much weight and how fast the system can translate. In many cases, a 140 volts brushed DC motor is preferable, since it operates at a lower current for the same speed and loads, compared to many alternatives.
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Rolling carriage system with driving nut integrated
The driving nut that runs through the lead screw is integrated into the carriage elements that rolls. In comparison to most lead screw actuator carriages that use low friction materials, rollers are used in this case in order to minimize friction. This is especially relevant in scenarios (e.g., a cantilevered bed) in which the system will suffer additional forces perpendicular to the direction of the movement.
Carriage Structure
Traveling Nut
Rollers
Structural profile to mount the lead screw and guide the carriage system
A rigid element (e.g.,. aluminum extrusion) is used to mount the lead screw, guide the carriage system and give structural support to the whole system when being attached to existing structural members such as walls, floors, ceilings.
Both the lead screw and the structural element are cut to length, which provides flexibility to adapt to different space requirements and travel distances.
The structural member also provides guidance for the rolling carriage system discussed above. This means the rolling carriage rolls on the interior of the element, while keeping directionality.
In order to keep the stability of the lead screw over long spans, the lead screw is not only mounted on each extreme but also has low friction supports in between.
As a result, the driving nut does not embrace the lead screw completely (as shown in picture above). To be able to clear the mid supports while translating, the driving nut only partially embraces the lead screw.
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Structural Member
Rolling Carriage with Traveling Nut
Self Locking Lead Screw
Direct Drive
DC Motor (12V-140V)
A set of structural elements to be attached to the carriaae svstem
In exemplary implementations, this invention provides a universal platform for one axis linear translation of furniture and architecture elements. The electromechanical system is often very similar for different applications, except for adjustments to motor power or material strengths, e.g., for heavy-light duty applications. The platform includes a set of structural elements. The platform is adaptable to the specific characteristics of the elements being moved by selecting which structural members, out of this set of structural members, to attach. Which structural elements are mounted to the moving carriage customizes the type of spatial transformation.
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For example, when a heavy object like a bed is cantilevered, all those forces and torques need to be properly supported by a structural connector that transfers the load to the actuator. Also, additional actuators may be used depending on the application. In the example below, the bed can use two actuators in order to improve overall stability and divide the load requirements.
Examples of other possible vertical or horizontal translations:
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Drop down table
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Translating closet
Conclusion
The above description (including without limitation any attached drawings and figures) describes exemplary implementations of the invention. However, the invention may be implemented in other ways. The methods and apparatus which are described above are merely illustrative applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, this invention includes without limitation each combination or subcombination of one or more of the abovementioned implementations, embodiments and features.
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