4D Embroidery: Implementing Parametric Structures in Textiles for Sculptural Embroidery

Abstract

4D Embroidery, a method to create sculptural 3D structures from a flat sheet of fabric by parameterizing an open-lace embroidery framework. By adding a fourth dimension to a mesh-like texture in textiles, lace has the potential to exhibit a wide range of transformation behavior for actuation. However, digital embroidery is not widely adopted as a technique central to fabricating 4D structures. This study presents a design exploration of the methodologies for implementing parametric structures in self-assembling textiles. We propose a digital fabrication process via embroidering active and passive material, accompanied by a computational design tool to achieve a target shape-change. We reflect on the design process and present future directions for research.