Photo credit: www.sciencedaily.com
A team from Carnegie Mellon University’s Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) and Robotics Institute (RI) has developed an innovative approach for creating functional objects that transition from flat to three-dimensional shapes using a computer-controlled sewing machine.
The research team consists of undergraduate design student Sapna Tayal, postdoctoral teaching fellow Lea Albaugh, associate professor James McCann, and Scott E. Hudson, a professor and associate department head for education at HCII.
The term “flat-to-shape” describes objects that can be transformed from a flat configuration into a three-dimensional form through techniques such as folding, bending, or assembling parts. While earlier methods have employed flat-to-shape strategies for smaller applications—primarily to enhance efficiency in 3D printing and laser cutting—these techniques often demanded prolonged manual assembly and faced challenges when scaling up. The CMU researchers identified a chance to refine these approaches by creating a system that enables the fabrication of furniture-sized, functional, and rapidly deployable objects.
“Sewing machines represent a widely accessible fabrication technology. Machines with computational control expand fabrication possibilities, and we have leveraged one that is typically used for quilting but in a much larger scale for our work,” Albaugh explained. “Our focus was on innovatively employing the CNC sewing machine.”
The technique developed by the team involves using the sewing machine to stitch pockets between layers of fabric, into which stiff panels are inserted. This approach allows for the utilization of various types of fabric, from sturdy muslin suitable for heavy-duty applications to lighter fabrics intended for aesthetic purposes. The materials can be tailored for each specific panel to meet the diverse needs of the resulting objects.
The researchers showcased how selecting appropriate materials can fulfill different functional requirements, such as utilizing thicker plywood for a chair designed to support human weight, or integrating custom LED panels with translucent fabric to create a functional lamp. Furthermore, their technique accommodates additional components like cords, magnets, and hook-and-loop fasteners, which facilitate and stabilize the transition from flat to three-dimensional shapes.
“It was an incredible experience to explore a new fabrication environment through material discovery and hands-on creation,” said Tayal. “As a design student, I frequently create jigs for one-off projects, but being able to refine and present a process in the context of research, especially utilizing such an intriguing machine, was genuinely exhilarating.”
This novel approach enabled the researchers to achieve their aim of crafting items large enough for full-body interactions—such as sitting, wearing, or carrying—while still being portable and versatile across different environments. In their paper, “Creating Furniture-Scale Deployable Objects with a Computer-Controlled Sewing Machine,” they describe a range of functional flat-to-shape artifacts they produced, including a side table, backpack, chair, and lamp. Each of these items incorporates various methods of integrating rigid panels within flexible fabric sheets. The research was accepted for presentation at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI).
The project also contributed to Tayal’s recognition as a winner of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Student Merit Award at the district level. For additional insights on their flat-to-shape objects and to access the complete research paper, visit Tayal’s website.
Source
www.sciencedaily.com