Introduction

“Materials that think” is a first-year engineering experience in which students create multi-functional materials by embedding polymers with sensing, actuation, and networked computation. All polymers are “off-the-shelf” materials from places like Sparkfun, JoAnn’s or McGuckin’s, focussing the class on engineering design principles that are valid across disciplines. After this class you will have a basic understanding of electronics, programming (via Arduino), design tools (Onshape), manufacturing (laser cutter, 3D printer), as well as the engineering design process.

Schedule

Labs

The class consists of a lecture and two lab sessions per week. The lab sessions consist of hands-on instructions on electronics and manufacturing techniques as well as a series of team projects:

• Scavenger Hunt: Track down equipment, materials and other resources available at CU. Each team needs to track down a (overlapping) set of resources, and present their findings to the other teams.
  • Duration: 1 week
  • Deliverable: 12min presentation
• Material properties worksheet: What is the function of a selected “smart polymer”/sensor/actuator (see below) and what are its main properties? Create a datasheet the rest of the class can use by collecting information from the internet and your own experimentation.
  • Duration: 2 weeks
  • Deliverable: datasheet (public Google docs)

• Reverse engineering project: How does stuff work? Disassemble, analyze, re-build and promote an object of your choice, preferably something that contains interesting smart polymers or parts that will make your material multi-functional. All videos will be combined into a “crowd-sourced” mini-documentary.
  • Duration: 2 weeks
  • Deliverable: 1min video per group

• Final project: Identify an everyday surface or material that can be made multi-functional by combining a smart polymer with sensing, actuation, and computation.
  • Duration: 10 weeks
  • Deliverable: Poster, 5min video, and live-demo at the Engineering Design Expo

Meetings

We are meeting three times a week: Monday 3-3.50 (lecture), Wednesday and Friday 2-4 (lab) in ITTL.

Teaching Assistants/Office hours

Venus Gonder, office hours Tuesday 9:30-10:30 and 1:00-3:00,  Thursday 9:30- 10:30 in the 3D printer lounge.

Course materials and Lecture Notes

• Course schedule
• Scavenger hunt
• Lecture 1: Introduction
• Lecture 2: Mystery Artifact
• Lecture 3: Data presentation
• Lecture 4: Reengineering Project
• Lecture 5: Project Proposal
• Lecture 6: Engineering Ethics
• Lecture 7: Engineering Aesthetics
• Lecture 8: Made in Germany

Textbook

We are using the book “Introductory Engineering Design – a project-based approach” which is available online as well as from the ITLL main office.

Grading

• Scavenger hunt: 5%
• Materials worksheet: 15%
• Reengineering project: 15%
• Class participation: 15%
• Final project: 50%

Materials Database

Polymers

Name	Sample	Properties	Vendors
Silicone rubber		Spring 2014	http://www.reynoldsam.com/
Polycaprolactone		TBD	http://www.sparkfun.com
Acrylic		TBD	http://www.coloradoplastics.com
Urethane		TBD	http://www.reynoldsam.com
Thermochromic		Spring 2014	http://solarcolordust.com/
Conductive Rubber		TBD	http://www.adafruit.com
Conductive ink		TBD	http://www.sparkfun.com
Shape memory polymer		Spring 2014	Joanne’s

 Actuators

Name	Sample	Behavior	Mechanism	Vendor
Nichrome wires		Heat	Current	http://www.jacobs-online.com
Shape-memory alloy		Deform/shrink	Current	http://www.teachersource.com
Vibration motor		Vibrate	Current	http://www.robotshop.com
Pump		Compress air	Current	http://www.amazon.com
Light emitting diode		Light	Current	http://www.digikey.com
Peltier element		Heat/Cold Spring 2014	Current	http://www.newegg.com
PDLC foil		Transparent/Opaque Spring 2014, (2)	Electric field

Sensors

Air pressure		I2C	http://www.digikey.com
Light		I2C	http://www.adafruit.com
Temperature		Analog	http://www.digikey.com
Bending		Analog	http://www.sparkfun.com
Sound

Instructables

The instructables allow showcase a series of skills that might come in very handy when you create your own smart material, as well as developing your own processes that rely on similar effects.

• Learn about thermo-forming plastics: How to oven form Acrylic
• Learn how to use conductive ink to create circuits: 3D print a solderless circuit board
• Learn about casting and molding: 7 Things To Do with Oogoo
• Pneumatic actuators: Soft Robots: Making Robot Air Muscles and Air-powered soft robotic gripper
• Use conductive thread as a pressure (RSkin – Open Source Robotic Skin or Conductive Thread Pressure Sensor) or bend (Fabric Bend Sensor) sensor