Gallery: MIT's Crazy Materials Could Make for Self-Assembling Ikea Furniture
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Autodesk01tibbits-07
MIT scientist [Skylar Tibbits](http://www.sjet.us/) makes [self-assembling products](http://www.selfassemblylab.net/) out of everyday materials like wood and cloth.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Autodesk02tibbits-02
This elephant, made of 3-D printed wood, curls into shape when the wood planks are exposed to water.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Autodesk03tibbits-08
The trick to making wood bend to your will is printing it with an artificial grain---by controlling the pattern designers can determine the final shape it takes when exposed to water.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Autodesk04tibbits-09
As these materials become more robust, Tibbits and researchers Athina Papadopoulou, Carrie McKnelly, Christopher Martin, and Filipe Campos imagine a future where they can be used to build wonders like self-assembling furniture.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Autodesk05tibbits-11
Tibbits is in the experimental phase with most of these products and attempting to make them work consistently when variables are tweaked.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Carbitex LLC, Autodesk06tibbits-04
Carbon fiber that has been infiltrated with a specially formulated compound curls characteristically in response to heat.
Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Christophe Guberan, Erik Demaine, Carbitex LLC, Autodesk07tibbits-01
Using this carbon fiber in the spoiler of a race car would allow it to curl sympathetically in response to environmental factors and eke out performance gains which can result in the difference between a win and a loss.
