Bionic Swimmer
GSAPP Core I
Critic: Tei Carpenter
Fall 2016
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a24c238df2a3d718871c7b9be2c1d137b112e5ceee6a77e9016277e7a8a4f22a/Artboard-1.png)
Contract, expand, crawl,
on the seabed where
they were born.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/34c6fb6c79c5d07a3d05c9f6669e1efc80342a94d20e8bc2024da74b2aca093e/sketch1.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/84955207dc6a89a446930bd56c1bc6c3eb84c4370be8d1964bfe68d0e6a52bb4/sketch2.jpg)
Analytical sketches of the physical composition
and movement patterns of sea cucumber
and movement patterns of sea cucumber
Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied creatures that live at all ocean depths. Most of them move slowly by using their tiny tube feet, but some also have a faster escape response—they flex their bodies and inch along the sea floor. In this research and design project, I went through iterations of analysis, abstraction, translation, and materialization to apply the movements of sea cucumbers to a mechanical device that swims across the water surface.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d7717338f1b57205e32afcfc622e7f4f7d963e81537b3a760c516a1afea9abf1/Diagram2.png)
Analytical chart documenting a full cycle of contraction and expansion
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/86ef46fe758994a362468ded4aa7606ef54aff1c917f22af0d4c2945b97ff492/Diagram3.png)
different movement patterns achieved using combinations of different plastic bands, fin shapes, angles and positions
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3a930602c470925dfeaddd18dedcaae97bf4e4325dee39c65d9a825714fb9b43/model2.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/232ef6b4e5bd5713a8c0f993d1775cfcb290697d61222e68096db8c1f25eafe3/model1.jpg)