This short online guest lecture, as part of the course 05-499/899 Inclusive Tangible and Material Interfaces, welcomes the public to attend.

Yasaman Tahouni is a computational designer, maker, and a PhD candidate at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) at the Stuttgart University, Germany. Her research interest lies at the intersection of computation and materiality, and she seeks ways to bridge the two to create adaptive, performative, shape-changing structures. Her current research is focused on biobased and bioinspired 4D printing, for which she develops computational fabrication processes that merge design, additive manufacturing, and biobased “smart” material systems.

Previously, she earned her dual M.Sc. degree in Architecture (SMArchS Computation) and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, Boston.

Talk Title: Biobased and Bioinspired Shape-Changing Structures

Nature has evolved a multitude of strategies for dead tissue to become animated, for example the pine-cones scales that open to release their seeds upon drying. Such natural structures are not only a source of inspiration for designing shape-changing structures, but also a source of materials for their fabrication across scales. In this talk, I present my research on biobased 4D printing, for which I use cellulose-based materials and FDM 3D printing to construct hygromorphic structures in meso- to macro-scale. I will showcase examples of my recent projects, from programming sequential motion steps to developing self-shaping curved folding mechanisms, and will discuss their applications in architecture, product design, and beyond.

Open to the public
Zoom link: https://cmu.zoom.us/j/98428936299?pwd=U2Q4ejlvTWxQckc3UlU2MXlnZ1BPUT09