SMA Responsive Surface
Research project In collaboration with Dido Tsigaridi at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
The surface deforms and reflects based upon human presence and movement along its surface. Each device senses and moves individually based upon a simple proximity sensor feedback loop.
The mirror remains stable and reflects the surrounding environment until approached by a pedestrian. The mirror then rotates its angle toward the pedestrian dependent upon their proximity to it. At its closest proximity, the mirror then resets to its stationary position until the user begins to move away. The result is a pedestrian which can see their own image undistorted while onlookers see a refracted and shifting image of the pedestrian. The surface becomes a statement about how we see ourselves in relation to how others perceive us in an observational context.
Initial testing and experimentation for the kinetic mirror produced a 360 degree rotating and adjustable platform operating on a standard 9 volt battery. The use of SMA greatly reduces the need for moving mechanical actuators or servos decreasing energy use and minimizing potential for wear or damage.
