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

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 · RESEARCH
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 scene
Game 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