Theme 5: Pre-Seminar

A further study into design research, this week's two articles further aided my understanding of this topic. Dr. Li's paper concerning his team's prototype experimental vibration-experience entertainment was a fine example of design research as well as my chosen paper, "Multigait Soft Robot" by Shepherd et al of Harvard University. These two papers shared common features, including the use and study of prototype systems. Dr. Shepherd's team designed and created a "soft robot" capable of dynamic locomotion.
The notion of prototypes in research is a fascinating one due to their potential influence of innovation and progress in technological fields. My paper focused on robotic progress through soft robots; those designed without any hard, "rigid skeleton to provide mechanical strength." The role played by this prototype as well as Dr. Li's are universally important in this field of research by providing the foundation of further study of previously theoretical ideas enacted through the prototype. This also highlights the importance of a proof of concept prototype to illustrate the potential success of a concept. A simple proof of concept prototype may be a much scaled down, or even an incomplete, version of a real prototype, and exists to prove quickly that the theories underlying the experiment are quantifiable and sound, or at least worthy of further investigation.
Theory was very important in the design process of Dr. Shepherd's soft robot. Without delving into our previous etymological discussions of truth, the theory behind such a practical prototype as this soft robot is what defines and gives the prototype its nature. Theory in this case can be understood as a basis of physical facts already known which give rise to new ideas, such as creating a robot out of soft polymer based upon the movements of starfish and worms found in nature. Theoretically it seems possible to create a polymer in a certain shape and, when certain chambers are pneumatically filled with air, it would create movement, and that movement, if properly channeled could be controlled to create planned and efficient movements commanded by humans. This is the theory behind the robot, as well as all the scientific principles which helped the research team to enact this concept successfully to amazing result, thus creating a completely new species of robot.
It is very clear in this paper that proper understanding of theoretical and scientific principles are required for success, as well as very accurate design and implementation of the prototype. This kind of research requires a large degree of skill and ingenuity to create what has never been created before, and thus typically is the reason innovation can move slowly as well as being quite expensive. These steps must also be meticulously recorded and shared to create credibility for the study.
The work done in design research differs greatly from qualitative and quantitative research for these reasons (but I'm sure these studies can be mixed and do overlap), as researchers are typically observing and recording data about something of their own creation, instead of something in the world at large.