How to Make a Mask That Expresses You #WearableWednesday #wearabletech #tech #3dprinting #robotics
by Leslie Birch
This mask found on Digital Trends not only appears like colorful ink splotches, but it actually reacts to facial expression. Created by a team at London’s Bartlett School of Architecture the mask combines two exciting technologies—3d printing and soft robotics. According to Adi Meyer, one of the designers, “the thesis project examines the transformation of identity as a side effect of body augmentation by designing responsive facial prosthesis. We speculate on prosthesis that enhance the senses according to environmental stimuli.”
Adi submitted an Instructable to open source the methods for the mask. There’s a lot of work done scanning and printing the mold needed for the prosthetic. Much of this is inspired by Harvard’s Soft Robotics Toolkit, which is an excellent resource for those who want to learn more about flexible robots. However, the most interesting feature of the mask is the pockets of fluid which are controlled through facial movements. Check out the video for the team’s prototype.
The movement of liquid is possible thanks to an Arduino, some pumps and a MyoWare Muscle Sensor. If you want to find out how the sensor works, check out our learning guide that will show you how a flexed muscle can lead to interesting results. Think of the superhero costumes you can build that react to a movement of a leg muscle or a clenched fist. It’s an undercover way to illuminate LEDs, make beeps or even trigger spidey webs. Have fun figuring out your use!
Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!
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