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IAAC — Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (MRAC) · ACADEMIC · FAB LAB

Balloon Carnival

Robotic Gaming Between Fabrication and Play

Context
IAAC — Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (MRAC) — Academic Research
Role
End-Effector Design, Interaction System & Simulation
Year
2024
Practice
FAB LAB
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Status
Completed
Balloon Carnival robotic game arena

Overview

An innovative project combining robotic fabrication with gameplay, developed in IAAC's Robotics and Advanced Construction workshop: an automated robot gaming console with a balloon arena, creating an interactive entertainment installation open to collaboration and sharing. Players control the robot to pop balloons or draw; the system gives dynamic feedback against task goals. Three modes — training, cooperation and battle — cover solo practice, two-player co-op and competitive play.

Isaac Sim simulation of the robot gaming sceneGame interface built in TouchDesigner
Custom end effector for balloon interaction

Responsibilities

  • ABB robot end-effector design
  • TouchOSC / TouchDesigner interaction system design, game-logic, feedback animation and status display
  • Isaac Sim simulation of robot control, interface response and physical motion

Methodology

  • Touch interface controls XYZ translation and rotation, supporting multi-user operation
  • Digital twin testing: detailed Isaac Sim simulations iterated against a physical scene to stabilise the system and the user experience
  • Hardware stack: ABB robot and 3D printer; interaction stack: TouchOSC, TouchDesigner, Blender