BubbleFab: A Rapid, Lightweight, and Multi-resolution Shape Forming Method Using Plastic Balloons
Hiroki Sato, Hiroki Kaimoto, and Yasuaki Kakehi
TEI 2026 Paper
Bubbles are lightweight, can be instantly created from minimal material, and their size can be controlled. In this paper, we propose BubbleFab, a fabrication method that enables rapid volumetric prototyping by dynamically generating and stacking plastic bubbles of varying sizes in real time. Using a custom design software, users can generate a stacking script from any 3D model, which is then executed by a robotic arm that autonomously extrudes and assembles the bubbles into a physical structure. The resulting objects are not only lightweight, but can also be reinforced after fabrication for use as molds. Furthermore, the materials used can be recovered and reused. We developed an end-to-end pipeline consisting of dedicated design software and fabrication hardware and evaluated the accuracy and durability of the generated bubbles. We also present a series of example outputs and application scenarios enabled by this method.
Publication
Hiroki Sato, Hiroki Kaimoto, and Yasuaki Kakehi. BubbleFab: A Rapid, Lightweight, and Multi-resolution Shape Forming Method Using Plastic Balloons. TEI 2026. Chicago, US. 2026.