![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/fluid-injector1.jpg)
SPHERIFICATION
In our conceptual machine we borrowed the technique of ‘Inverse Spherification’ that was invented Ferran Adrià in the molecular gastronomy – when a liquid droplet whichever contains calcium is submerged into an alginate bath, the droplet of liquid will then be spherified by forming a ‘gel’ like surface around the sphere. Droplets become ‘caviers’ in water depending on the sizes of injecting device.
THE MATERIAL EXPERIMENTS
We are carrying out series of experiments of spherifying a variety of liquid (e.g. water liquid, oil, plaster cement, yoghurt, milk etc.) as well as investigating the physical and chemical properties of the spherified liquid.
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/experiments11.jpg)
Spherification of various water-based liquid
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/yoghurt3.jpg)
Forms of yoghurt droplets in alginate bath injected by syringe
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/milk11.jpg)
Forms of milk droplets in alginate bath
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/yoghurt11.jpg)
Positions of yoghurt droplets in higher concerntrated alginate bath
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/yoghurt21.jpg)
Position of yoghurt droplets in higher concerntration of alginate bath
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/milk21.jpg)
The simultaneous emulsification and spherification of milk in alginate bath
THE PRINTING MACHINE
The first generation of the Fluid Inject Printer is a 1-axix machine with only 2 controllable parameters. It consists a stepper motor that controls the syringe’s trajectory and a DC motor that controls the amount of injection into the alginate bath.
(1) Both devices are feeded by commands of the Arduino;
(2) Trajectory of syringe determines the location of print;
(3) While liquid is being ejected out from the syringe it becomes instantaneously ’spherified’ in the alginate bath. Hence the first form is printed.
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/machine11.jpg)
![](http://legacy.iaacblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/machine21.jpg)
#include <Stepper.h>
// change the steps variable to the number of steps on your motor
int steps = 100;
int switchPin = 2; // switch input
int motor1Pin1 = 8; // pin 2 on L293D
int motor1Pin2 = 9; // pin 7 on L293D
// create and attaches a stepper motor
// with 100 steps to pins 0, 1, 2 and 3
// calibration
int stepLength = 50;
int liquidAmount = 25;
Stepper stepper(steps, 3, 4, 5, 6);
void setup()
{
// set the speed of the motor to 20 rpms
stepper.setSpeed(200);
pinMode(switchPin, INPUT);
pinMode(motor1Pin1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(motor1Pin2, OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println(”hello world”);
}
void loop() {
if (Serial.available() > 0) {
int dataIn = Serial.read();
switch(dataIn) {
case ‘]’:
stepper.step(stepLength);
break;
case ‘[’:
stepper.step(-stepLength);
break;
case ‘,’: //up
digitalWrite(motor1Pin1, LOW); // set pin 2 on L293D low
digitalWrite(motor1Pin2, HIGH); // set pin 7 on L293D
delay(liquidAmount);
digitalWrite(motor1Pin2, LOW); // set pin 7 on L293D
break;
case ‘.’: //down
digitalWrite(motor1Pin1, HIGH); // set pin 2 on L293D low
digitalWrite(motor1Pin2, LOW); // set pin 7 on L293D
delay(liquidAmount);
digitalWrite(motor1Pin1, LOW); // set pin 2 on L293D low
break;
}
}
}