Mobile Technology

Researchers propose new shape resolution metric for shape-shifting mobile devices

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Some of the shape-shifting Morphee prototypes that boast different "shape resolution"
A Morphee prototype that uses shape memory alloy wires to change into a console-like shape for gaming
Self-actuated shape-changing devices could bend themselves to hide private user information from passers by
Some of the shape-shifting Morphee prototypes that boast different "shape resolution"
The ten features of the team's proposed shape resolution metric
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There may soon be another technical specification to consider when buying a mobile device. Researchers from the University of Bristol and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI Saarbrücken) have coined the term “shape resolution” to indicate the self-actuated shape-shifting abilities they believe will be featured in the next generation of mobile devices. To demonstrate this new metric, the researchers have developed a number of prototype shape-shifting devices they have dubbed “Morphees,” which have the potential to change their shape on demand, depending on the desired use.

In the same way that screens with a higher resolution display more pixels, Morphees with a higher shape resolution are more flexible and have the ability to change into a greater number of shapes. These shapes would be to suit the use at hand with the researchers anticipating the ability for users to download apps that embed a specific form factor designed around the app's use.

"The interesting thing about our work is that we are a step towards enabling our mobile devices to change shape on-demand,” said Dr Anne Roudant from the University of Bristol’s Department of Computer Science, who led the research along with Professor Sriram Subramanian. “Imagine downloading a game application on the app-store and that the mobile phone would shape-shift into a console-like shape in order to help the device to be grasped properly. The device could also transform into a sphere to serve as a stress ball, or bend itself to hide the screen when a password is being typed so passers-by can't see private information."

Self-actuated shape-changing devices could bend themselves to hide private user information from passers by

With the aim of helping designers create high-resolution shape resolution devices, the team has built and evaluated the performance of six prototype Morphees that use different shape-changing technologies. Some rely on shape memory alloys, either in wires that return to a previously learned shape when heated, or springs that return to a compacted state when heated. Others use dielectric electro active polymers that bend when a voltage is applied. Another uses servo motors and guitar strings to change the device’s shape.

Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses in terms of the 10 deformation features that the team uses to describe the shape resolution of a device. These 10 features include:

  • Area: Changeable surface area.
  • Granularity: Density of the physical actuation points.
  • Porosity: Dependent on whether a shape is discontinuous or perforated. The ratio of the area of perforated parts to the total area of the shape.
  • Curvature: The curviness of the surface.
  • Amplitude: The range of displacement of control points between rest and actuated positions – a flat rigid surface has an amplitude of 0, while a sphere has an amplitude of 1.
  • Zero-crossing: The capability of a shape to form wave-like shapes.
  • Closure: How closed a shape is. A flat shape has 0 percent closure, while a sphere has 100 percent.
  • Stretchability: How much the surface distorts between two control points.
  • Strength: Force needed to move a control point from minimum to maximum amplitude position.
  • Speed: How much time is needed to move a control point from minimum to maximum amplitude position under self-actuation.
The ten features of the team's proposed shape resolution metric

The performance of the six Morphee prototypes was evaluated on all the above features with the exception of porosity and stretchability. The team hopes to include these features in exploring the capabilities of future devices with higher screen resolutions.

The performance of the six prototypes appears in the team’s paper, which will be presented at the ACM CHI 2013 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems this week.

The prototype Morphees can be seen in the video below.

Sources: University of Bristol, Anne Roudant

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4 comments
TechVilli.com
This research is interesting from the fact that mobile users Do Not consider technical aspects while buying as embrace by their charisma of features, display screen and style.Self actuating shape features in next generation mobile is a notable one.
euroflycars
One of the applications of this technology may be as follows:
Carrying your PC in a leg pocket needs a curved keyboard with a correspondingly curved screen serving as protection cover -- or vice-versa.
However, the problem is that for both devices the optimum curvature is a concave one -- respectively for maximum anti-reflexion effect and readability, and for maximum typing comfort.
Hence, the benefit of the morphing technology would consist in a reversible curvature for one of the devices, depending on which one is designed as the outer cover.
BTW, textile morphing technology would be welcome to transmute plain blue jeans into ones with leg pockets...
Alternatively, keyboard and screen could be carried separately in each leg pocket, with dedicated curvatures tightly fitting the lateral anatomy of your thighs -- and the possibility to restore flat surfaces for use.
Phyzzi
Honestly, a reasonably cheap and very useful application of this would be a backpack (or messenger bag) that could hold itself open (even better if it comes with a cell phone signal booster, flexible solar panels and an extra battery pack for electronics). No complicated flexible screens, weird shapes, or whatever, just press a button, put stuff in, press the button again, and it closes to mostly water tight (maybe with a flap that raises and lowers itself).
If this could be produced to operate reliably for under $250 US, I'm pretty sure it could find a market.
Slowburn
Sounds overly complex and doesn't offer much additional functionality.