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At the MIT Media Lab: Silkworm-powered, fantastical, biological “3D printer”

By on June 3, 2013
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Breathtaking video!

The primary structure was created of 26 polygonal panels made of silk threads laid down by a CNC (Computer-Numerically Controlled) machine. Inspired by the silkworm’s ability to generate a 3D cocoon out of a single multi-property silk thread (1km in length), the overall geometry of the pavilion was created using an algorithm that assigns a single continuous thread across patches providing various degrees of density.

Overall density variation was informed by the silkworm itself deployed as a biological “printer” in the creation of a secondary structure. A swarm of 6,500 silkworms was positioned at the bottom rim of the scaffold spinning flat non-woven silk patches as they locally reinforced the gaps across CNC-deposited silk fibers.

via MIT’s silkworm-powered, fantastical, biological “3D printer”.

 

SILK PAVILION from Mediated Matter Group on Vimeo.

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