re:flex
A reflex is an action that is performed without conscious thought in response to given stimuli. Re:flex is a reconfigurable, programmable material that changes its shape in response to heat.
Natural materials and structures constantly respond and adapt to changes in the environment. This makes organisms resilient to change. Yet our built environment is static, and does not morph in response to changing conditions as natural structures do.
The idea of a living, breathing material world has captured the imagination of people for centuries. Advancements in smart material technology have allowed us to pursue this vision of active matter. However, where are these materials in our everyday lives?
Inspired by natural processes of homeostasis, we set out to create an intelligent material that could be embedded into the everyday. Re:flex is a thermally responsive material: you can heat it, deform it into a temporary shape, and cool it down to freeze it in place. When heated again, it remembers and returns to its original shape.
With re:flex, we imagine a world where the materials we use are no longer inert, allowing objects to be reshaped by users to suit their needs.
Re:flex received a patent award from the Royal College of Art and was a finalist of the London Mayor Entrepreneur Competition 2019. In the same year we were invited to exhibit re:flex at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven and we presented it at the Antenna Conference for the “world’s best design graduates” which is organised by Design Indaba.