week1- Exploring soft materials

For this week's assignment, I have been to a BLICK Art Supply store and found couple materials I think would associate with soft robotics:

1.Framed canvas

I think the idea of having a rigid frame but at the same time the surface area of the canvas are somewhat "soft" in the way that the canvas stretches.

2. Paper/ fabrics

Just in general, paper and fabrics are materials that can be reformed so easily so that can be applied in soft robotics in many ways.

3. Acrylic (when it is dried)

I think the dried out acrylic has a certain property of being part of the soft robotic material category. When the acrylic is dried, it turns into this softish gel thing.

4. Glue rolls

Glue rolls are rigid in its own property, but because of its form in a "thin roll", it gives it more characteristics to be applied in soft robotics in the way that it is flexible to some extent, it can be altered through heat, it is also translucent.

5. Sponge

Sponge, I guess it is one of the materials you first think of when it comes to the idea of "soft", it can float on water because of its porosity, low density, can be easily reformed and adapted etc.

6. Thin metal mesh

I imagine this material to be more of a soft "structure" element.

7. Brushes

Brushes give a very specific type of texture in terms of its surface, when pressed down the form changes in an interesting way.

8. plastic jars

They are translucent, they can float, they can contain air or liquid etc

9. Feather

I guess feather can be applied more as a soft finish, a texture, a touch etc

10. Weaved Yarn

Yarn but weaved in a way that they become of form of a blob, which brings out more soft aspects than just a single yarn by itself.