FlowIO
Pneumatics Development Platform for Ali Shtarbanov, MIT Media Lab
FlowIO is the first fully-integrated, miniature pneumatics platform for control, actuation, and sensing of soft robots and programmable materials. A set of swappable, magnetically connected modules allows it to satisfy diverse application needs of researchers, artists, designers and makers working on a variety of pneumatically controlled projects. A software toolkit with mobile and desktop graphical interfaces, Bluetooth controls, and APIs for Arduino and JavaScript — enable users from any technical background to get started and unleash their creativity with FlowIO. What will you create?
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FlowIO by Ali Shtarbanov
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Pneumatics Development Platform by Ali Shtarbanov
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Ali Shtarbanov FlowIO
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Ali Shtarbanov Pneumatics Development Platform
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FlowIO Pneumatics Development Platform Press Releases
For FlowIO, find press releases in a variety of languages: English.
FlowIO Pneumatics Development Platform Media Articles
Our articles on FlowIO, prepared for immediate use, are offered in several languages, including German, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Indonesian, Italian, Hindi, Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Russian, Korean, Japanese and English.
Unique Properties
FlowIO is a fully-integrated, general-purpose development platform for control of soft robots and programmable materials. With magnetically connected pump modules that are swappable on-the-fly, FlowIO can satisfy diverse project needs of researchers, artists, and makers. A software toolkit with mobile and desktop graphical interfaces, Bluetooth controls, and APIs for Arduino and JavaScript — enable users from any technical background to get started and unleash their creativity with FlowIO.
Tags
Development Platform, Toolkit, Pneumatic Control System, Soft Robotics, Programmable Materials, Shape Change, Tangible User Interface, Wearables, Arduino, Raspberry Pi
Production Technology
FlowIO contains a main module, different pump modules, expansion modules, and accessories. The main module integrates 7 valves, 2 custom PCBs, sensors, microcontroller, and a battery with charger. Each pump module has 2 pumps, a custom PCB, and a battery with integrated charger. Auxiliary modules also consist of custom PCBs. The modules connect magnetically and are enclosed in 3D-printed snap-fit enclosures, that can be printed in any color. All hardware designs are made public and open-source.
Design Challenge
The main challenge was making FlowIO highly energy-efficient and miniaturized yet fully-integrated with pumps, valves, sensors, electronics, batteries. and even charging circuits. Other pneumatic platforms with far fewer capabilities are 5-10 times larger than FlowIO and they still require external pumps and/or power sources. Over a dozen design iterations were dedicated towards finding clever ways of reducing size. Developing multiple APIs and a cross-platform GUI was another major challenge.
Project Duration
FlowIO originated out of necessity as a system I made for my own research in soft robotics and morphable interfaces at MIT Media Lab. As many other researchers, makers, and artists showed strong interest and asked to use FlowIO in their own works, in late 2019 the idea was born to augment FlowIO into a truly general purpose pneumatics development platform suitable for everyone. FlowIO has now undergone over 20 prototype iterations, with numerous new features added during those iterations.
Operation Flow
FlowIO enables users to rapidly bring soft robotics projects to life and to focus on developing actuators and experiences instead of spending time designing pneumatics, electronics, or writing control software. Miniature size, battery operation, and various modules and accessories make FlowIO suitable for both desktop and wearable applications involving inflation, vacuum, release, pressure sense, and flow variability. Multiple APIs and GUI make it possible for anyone to use the device with ease.
Research
Over a dozen people have used FlowIO to date, from PhD researchers and high-school students to makers and artists. It has enabled people to develop projects in various categories including interactivity, artistic expression, locomotion, telepresence, haptic feedback, and assistive technologies. Feedback was collected from existing and prospective users continuously to inform many of the design iterations. FlowIO was also used as a teaching tool in a graduate digital fabrication course at MIT.
Inspiration
Arduino and Raspberry Pi democratized electronics and computing. FlowIO aims to democratize soft robotics and programmable materials in a similar way. The lack of development platforms for soft robotics makes the field highly inaccessible for most people and stifles innovation. The FlowIO platform was developed with the goal to democratized the emerging field of soft robotics and make rapid prototyping more accessible for researchers, artists, designers, and makers.
Image Credits
Ali Shtarbanov
Project Overview
FlowIO Pneumatics Development Platform has been a Silver winner in the Scientific Instruments and Research Equipment Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Ali Shtarbanov was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work FlowIO Pneumatics Development Platform.
Ali Shtarbanov Press Releases
For journalists seeking engaging content: Explore our press releases featuring Ali Shtarbanov's work, freely available for incorporation into your stories. For immediate journalistic use: 1 press releases are available right now.
Introducing FlowIO: The Pneumatics Development Platform Revolutionizing Soft Robotics
MIT Media Lab Ph.D. student Ali Shtarbanov unveils FlowIO, a groundbreaking platform democratizing soft robotics and programmable materials for researchers, artists, and makers.
Ali Shtarbanov Newsroom
Unlock a treasure trove of award-winning designs by accessing Ali Shtarbanov Newsroom.
