Shutters is a kinetic e-textile membrane for environmental control and communication. It consists of a curtain composed of actuated louvers that can be individually addressed for precise control of ventilation, daylight incidence and information display.
Shutters’ soft mechanics is based on the electronic actuation of shape-memory alloy, which can be precisely controlled to angle the louvers and dynamically adjust their aperture, regulating shade and ventilation, as well as displaying images and animations.
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The design of an individually addressed louver grid improves on traditional blinds by allowing for the ‘blades’ in the same horizontal row to move inwards and outwards independently. This flexibility opens the possibility for three important functionalities: (1) precise two-dimensional control of shading, so that daylight can illuminate different parts of a space and be blocked from others; (2) control of the ventilation between different parts of a space by opening and closing the specific louvers necessary to create wind tunnels, and finally; (3) use of Shutters as a soft kinetic and shadow display. By combining smart materials, textiles and computation, Shutters creates living environments and work spaces that are more energy efficient, while being aesthetically pleasing and considerate of its inhabitants’ activities. |