Research question: How can programmable inflatables be used to transport products?
Based on brainstorms with potential users, the application requirements were defined to be as follows:
- Must hold the item securely
- Must be reusable
- Must hold an item of 300x300x150mm @ 2Kg
- Must be safe
Project description and results
According to the final idea of this creative project, a box for the safe transport of various goods was designed. The balloons are the inflatable part of the project and when inflated they fix the cargo in place. Balloons are connected through a manifold, and controlled through a custom designed electronic sensor system with embedded sofware.
After testing all the parts separately, the complete system was assembled and tested. The setup works according to the original idea.
Conclusion
Evaluating the pros and cons of the Transportation Box that was developed during the project, inspired the team to come up with a Reusable Universal Packaging (RUP) concept. We propose to further explore and develop the RUP concept shown below.
Acknowledgement
The student team would like to thank Pi-Lab and Design Academy Eindhoven for supporting this project.