
Self-Assembling Table - prostoalex
http://www.wired.com/2015/04/mit-self-assembly-lab-wood-skin/?mbid=social_fb
======
tr352
I'm sure this material can be put to good use somehow but I doubt that it will
be able to compete with IKEA's way of doing "flat packed furniture". It
constrains design and it solves a problem that's not really a problem. Is
assembling a piece of IKEA furniture that difficult? I don't think so.

------
zck
I wonder how the table reacts when pushed from the side. It is supposed to be
fine to put pressure on -- they say you can stand on it -- but what happens
when you drag the table?

------
gotofritz
They push the concept of "self-assembly" a bit...

~~~
vinchuco
What is the threshold?

~~~
gotofritz
Well it isn't assembling itself, is it? It's just being folded by a human into
shape. It's basically clever origami.

------
dba7dba
Great. But can we first get a self-leveling table? I'm sure there are lots of
starbucks/coffeebean customers who would like a self-leveling table.

------
brokentone
I heard Skylar Tibbits (Director of MIT's Self-Assembly Lab) speak at the 2013
EmTech conference. One of few presentations that has left on the edge of my
seat/mouth agape.
[http://www2.technologyreview.com/emtech/13/video/day2/](http://www2.technologyreview.com/emtech/13/video/day2/)

------
kjhughes
Clever, but I'm holding out for Roombots for my self-assembling furniture
needs:

[http://biorob.epfl.ch/roombots](http://biorob.epfl.ch/roombots)

