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Tiffany Cheng is a computational designer from Taiwan. Interested in robotic fabrication and programmable material systems, Tiffany's research focuses on the creation of digital workflows that allow mass-customization of material properties, behavior, and performance.
Tiffany holds a Master in Design Studies with a concentration in Technology from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Previously, she graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Architecture, Minor in Digital Studies and Honors in Multimedia Scholarship (USC School of Cinematic Arts).
Tiffany has worked as a researcher with the MaP+S Group at Harvard GSD developing novel robotic systems for bespoke carbon fiber structures. She has also practiced with StudioFV designing biking infrastructure and facilities for LA Metro. Her professional experience ranges from electronics production and embedded programming to interaction design.
Tiffany's research agenda at the ICD aims to advance the knowledge of programmable shape-changing material systems as well as to develop the complimentary hardware and software tools that can fabricate them.
- Cheng, T., Wood, D., Wang, X., Yuan, P., & Menges, A. (2020). Programming Material Intelligence: An Additive Fabrication Strategy for Self-Shaping Biohybrid Components. Living Machines: Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems.
- Poppinga, S., Zollfrank, C., Prucker, O., Ruehe, J., Menges, A., Cheng, T., & Speck, T. (2018). Toward a New Generation of Smart Biomimetic Actuators for Architecture. Advanced Materials, 30(19), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201703653
Thesis:
- ITECH Masters Thesis Topic – Programmable Matter, 2019-20
- ITECH Masters Thesis Topic – Programmable Matter, 2018-19
- ITECH Masters Thesis Topic – Programmable Matter, 2017-18
Seminars:
- ITECH Masters Thesis Preparation and Research Structure Module, 2019-20
- ITECH Masters Thesis Preparation and Research Structure Module, 2018-19
Workshops:
Research Projects:
- 4DmultiMATS: Personalised 3D- and 4D-Printing of programmable, self-adjusting and multifunctional Material Systems for Sports and Medical Applications
- Bio-based and Bio-inspired 3D-printed Shape-changing Material Systems
- Responsive Autonomous Surface Structures Inspired by Passive Multi-phase Plant Movements
- Smarter Smart Materials - Integrating Human Interaction with Environmentally Responsive Material Systems
Lectures:
- 2020 Programming Material Intelligence: An Additive Fabrication Strategy for Self-shaping Biohybrid Components Living Machines, Freiburg, DE
- 2020 Expert Lecture: Tiffany Cheng ITECH Expert Lecture, Stuttgart, DE
- 2020 Self-Shaping Smart Structure: Computational Design and 4D-Printing for Surface Shifting Material Systems Inspired by the Butterwort Living Materials, Saarbrücken, DE
- 2019 Smart Structure: Computational Design for 4D-Printed Material Systems Inspired by the Butterwort EUROMAT, Stockholm, SE
- 2018 Additive Fertigung: 4D-printing of Self-adjusting and Multifunctional Material Systems Technologieland Hessen, Darmstadt, DE
- 2018 Digital FUTURES Symposium: Building Material Intelligence Tongji University, Shanghai, CN
- 2018 USC Generation NEXT: Driven by Nature University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
Awards:
- Living Machines 2020: 1st Best Paper Award